Religion and the American Constitutional Experiment

by John Witte Jr.

This new edition offers a novel reading of the American constitutional experiment in religious liberty. Lucid and engaging, this volume serves as a provocative primer for students, and a pristine restatement for specialists in law, religion, history, sociology, politics, and American studies. Through a fresh reading of familiar sources and cases, and through the discovery and introduction of new cases and materials, the author reclaims the essential value, vigor, and vitality of America's most essential and cherished religious rights and liberties.

Genres: Law, History, Politics, Religion, American History, Nonfiction, Americana

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

John Witte Jr. (b.1959) is the Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law and Ethics, Alonzo L. McDonald Distinguished Professor, and Director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University (Atlanta, GA).

Professor Witte specializes in legal history, religious liberty, and marriage law.

Reviews

[Charles Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended (4th ed, 2016). Two Emory law professors provide a thorough introduction to the First Amendment, from its philosophical background and debates in Congress, through its history of interpretation by the Supreme Court, to the potential challenges and threats to religious liberty in the near future. Not the easiest read, but well worth taking the time to read, digest, and annotate.

[Koleksi American Corner UGM · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Witte, Jr. and Joel A. Nichols, Religion and the American Constituional Experiment.

Judul : Religion and the American Constitutional Experiment

Penulis/Editor : John Witte, Jr., Joel A. Nichols

Ringkasan :
Buku ini memuat pembahasan mengenai agama dan konstitusi di Amerika secara komprehensif melalui kajian multidisiplin, meliputi sejarah, hukum, teori-teori, dan analisis komparatif terhadap kebebasan beragama di Amerika sejak awal masa kolonial hingga kasus-kasus Supreme Court yang paling kontemperer.
Dalam edisi ketiga ini, penulis menjelaskan tentang ritual keagamaan yang bebas, hubungan antara kehidupan publik dan ritual agama, serta organisasi juga hukum yang mengatur ibadah agama di Amerika. Selain itu, penulis juga merujuk pada tujuk kasus baru tentang agama yang berkaitan dengan standar internasional hak asasi manusia.

Daftar Isi :

Tables, Figures, and Appendices xi
Preface xiii
Introduction xix
1 The American Experiment in Historical Context 1
The First Millennium 3
The Papal Revolution 6
The Protestant Reformation 9
Religious Establishment versus Religious Freedom 12
Colonization and Experimentation 14
2 The Theology and Politics of the Religion Clauses 21
Puritan Views 22
Evangelical Views 26
Enlightenment Views 29
Republican Views 33
Summary and Conclusions 36
3 The Essential Rights and Liberties of Religion 41
Liberty of Conscience 41
Free Exercise of Religion 45
Religious Pluralism 46
Religious Equality 49
Separation of Church and State 51
Disestablishment of Religion 57
Interdependence of Principles 63
4 Forging the First Amendment Religion Clauses 71
Religion and the Continental Congress 71
The 1787 Constitutional Convention 76
Ratification and Proposed Amendments 79
Drafting the First Amendment Religion Clauses 81
"Original Intent": Interpreting the Final Text 89
Summary and Conclusions 103
5 Religious Liberty in the States Before 1947 and the Creation of a New National Law on Religious Liberty 109
Liberty of Conscience and Free Exercise 110
Religious Pluralism and Equality 113
Separation of Church and State 114
No Establishment of Religion 115
Faith, Freedom, and the Frontier 118
Fundamental Religious Liberty and Incorporation 122
Summary and Conclusions 127
6 The Free Exercise of Religion 131
Mapping Free Exercise Doctrine 132
Free Exercise and Polygamy (1879-1890) 140
Free Exercise and Conscientious Objection (1918-1971) 143
Freedom and Equality of Religious Expression (1940-2002) 145
Liberty of Conscience and Free Exercise Exemptions (1943-1989) 150
Neutralizing the Free Exercise Clause (1982-1993) 155
Free Exercise in the Age of Statutes 160
Summary and Conclusions 162
7 Modern Establishment Law: Mapping the Doctrinal Terrain 169
Bringing an Establishment Clause Case 170
Mapping the Establishment Clause Cases 173
Summary and Conclusions 186
8 Religion and Public Education: No Establishment of Religion, but Equal Access for Religion 191
Separationist Cases (1948-1987) 192
Equal Access Cases (1981-2001) 198
Summary and Conclusions 204
9 Government and Religious Education: Accommodation, Separation, and Equal Treatment 207
Accommodationist Cases (1908-1986) 208
Separationist Cases (1971-1985) 210
Equal Treatment Cases (1983-2004) 214
Summary and Conclusions 220
10 Religion and Public Life 223
Sabbath Day Rules (1961) 224
Legislative Chaplains (1983) 226
Religious Symbols (1984-2010) 227
Summary and Conclusions 237
11 Religious Organizations and the Law 241
Religious Polity and Structures 243
Religious Property Disputes 244
Employment, Taxation, and More 253
Summary and Conclusions 259
12 Toward an Integration of Religious Liberty: The American Experiment in International Context 263
International Norms and the Constitution 265
The International Framework of Religious Liberty 271
International Norms and American Laws Compared 276
Summary and Conclusions 282
Concluding Reflections 287
Appendix 1 Drafts of Federal Religion Clauses (1787-1789) 295
Appendix 2 State Constitutional Provisions on Religion (as of 1947) 299
Appendix 3 United States Supreme Court Decisions Relating to Religious Liberty 305
Index 339


Bahasa : Inggris

Halaman : 338

Penerbit : Westview Press

Tahun terbit : 2011

Harga : $ 42.00

[Heather West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent history of religion in America. At the time the Constitution was written, the concept of a religion-less state was nowhere in sight. Instead, the founders assumed that good moral standing would be moderated by the states, and forbid the interference of the federal government.

Now, we have forged a new compromise, in which all levels of government must be religion-neutral. However, this is a very difficult task; at its root, it is a subjective standard. What, exactly, encourages or helps religion? What inhibits it?

A great read by an accomplished law professor, this book was the backbone of a final paper on the First Amendment. It was by far the most fascinating topic I've written on in a long time, and I hope to read more on the topic.