Separation of Church and State

Jonathan A. Wright

ISBN 10: 0313347697 / ISBN 13: 9780313347696

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US, 2010

About this Item

This tour of the American church/state issue revisits past controversies and personalities in the hope of enlightening present-day debates.Examining an issue that has been a matter of controversy since the founding of the United States, Separation of Church and State offers a chronological survey that helps put the ongoing debate in broad historical context. The book briefly traces the earliest instances of tension between church and state within the Western tradition, from the era of Constantine to the Reformation, before moving on to the American experience. Attention is paid to the colonial debates about the ideal relationship between faith and politics, the 18th-century trends that culminated in a constitutional settlement, and the experiences of various religious groups during the early republic and 19th century. Finally, the book focuses on the post-1940 era, during which church-state controversies came before the Supreme Court. In the course of the discussion, readers will learn about complex legal and theological issues and debates between the great and powerful, but also about ordinary Americans whose religious scruples led to some of the most important legal cases in U.S. history.Chronological organizationA short, bibliographical essay at the end of each chapter highlighting sources of further reading.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780313347696

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Separation of Church and State
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, US
• Publication Date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313347697
• ISBN 13: 9780313347696
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This tour of the American church/state issue revisits past controversies and personalities in the hope of enlightening present-day debates.

Examining an issue that has been a matter of controversy since the founding of the United States, Separation of Church and State offers a chronological survey that helps put the ongoing debate in broad historical context.



The book briefly traces the earliest instances of tension between church and state within the Western tradition, from the era of Constantine to the Reformation, before moving on to the American experience. Attention is paid to the colonial debates about the ideal relationship between faith and politics, the 18th-century trends that culminated in a constitutional settlement, and the experiences of various religious groups during the early republic and 19th century. Finally, the book focuses on the post-1940 era, during which church-state controversies came before the Supreme Court. In the course of the discussion, readers will learn about complex legal and theological issues and debates between the great and powerful, but also about ordinary Americans whose religious scruples led to some of the most important legal cases in U.S. history.

About the Author

Jonathan A. Wright is an independent scholar who has published on various aspects of religious history and has contributed to New Dictionary of National Biography and Dictionary of American History.