The establishment clause : religion and the First Amendment

Levy, Leonard W. (Leonard Williams) 1923-2006 (Author).

Summary: Leonard Levy's classic work examines the circumstances that led to the writing of the establishment clause of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion ..." He argues that the framers of the Constitution intended to prohibit government aid to religion even on an impartial basis. He thus refutes the view of "nonpreferentialists," who interpret the clause as allowing such aid provided that the assistance is not restricted to a preferred church. For this new edition, Levy has added to his original arguments and incorporated much new material, including an analysis of Jefferson's ideas on the relationship between church and state and a discussion of the establishment clause cases brought before the Supreme Court since the book was originally published in 1986.

Record details

ISBN: 0807844667
ISBN: 9780807844663
ISBN: 080782156X
ISBN: 9780807821565
Physical Description: print
xxiii, 273 pages ; 25 cm
Edition: 2nd ed., rev.
Publisher: Chapel Hill : University of North Carolina Press, ©1994.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 261-263) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Colonial establishments of religion -- State establishments of religion : New England -- State establishments of religion : the South -- The Constitution and religion -- Framing the Establishment clause -- James Madison versus the Nonpreferentialists -- The Supreme Court and the clause : judicial tests and aids to parochial schools -- The Supreme Court and the clause : public schools and public creches -- Incorporation and the wall.