The Free Exercise of Religion in America

Its Original Constitutional Meaning
1. Auflage 2019
ISBN: 978-3-030-06051-0
Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 317 Seiten, Format (B × H): 153 mm x 216 mm, Gewicht: 543 g

This book explains the original meaning of the two religion clauses of the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law [1] respecting an establishment of religion or [2] prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” As the book shows, both clauses were intended to protect the free exercise of religion or religious freedom.  West shows the position taken by early Americans on four issues: (1) the general meaning of the “free exercise of religion,” including whether it is different from the meaning of “no establishment of religion”; (2) whether the free exercise of religion may be intentionally and directly limited, and if so, under what circumstances; (3) whether laws regulating temporal matters that also have a religious sanction violate the free exercise of religion; and (4) whether the free exercise of religion gives persons a right to be exempt from obeying valid civil laws that unintentionally and indirectly make it difficult or impossible to practice their religion in some way. A definitive work on the subject and a major contribution to the field of constitutional law and history, this volume is key to a better understanding of the ongoing constitutional adjudication based on the religion clauses of the First Amendment.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

West, Ellis M.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religion & Politik, Religionsfreiheit
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionssoziologie und -psychologie, Spiritualität, Mystik
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Rechtswissenschaften Öffentliches Recht Staats- und Verfassungsrecht
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Politik & Religion, Religionsfreiheit

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface

Chapter 1: Introduction                                                                                                           

Chapter 2: Constitutional Rights and Ascertaining their Original Meaning                                   

Chapter 3: Setting the Stage                                                                                        

Chapter 4: The Meaning of Religious Liberty in Virginia                                                    

Chapter 5: The Meaning of Religious Liberty in the Other Southern States                                 

Chapter 6: The Meaning of Religious Liberty in the Middle States                                    

Chapter 7: The Meaning of Religious Liberty in the New England States                         

Chapter 8: Initial Conclusion                                                                                                   

Chapter 9: The Constitutional Meaning of Religious Freedom: Part One              

Chapter 10: The Constitutional Meaning of Religious Freedom: Part Two                       

Chapter 11: Final Conclusion                                                                                                  

Index                                                                                                              

Über Autor(innen)

Ellis M. West is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of Richmond, USA. His scholarship focuses on the religion clauses of the First Amendment, as they were originally understood and have been interpreted by the US Supreme Court.