The Constitution and Religion : Leading Supreme Court Cases on Church and State

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 450 pages
• Published by: Prometheus Books October 1999
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1573927031
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1573927031
• Book Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Weighs: 1.6 pounds

Product Review
"an outstanding historical overview of the passage of the religion clauses . . . a useful desk guide." -- Wisconsin Lawyer, April 2000

"A fine collection that will make major Supreme Court cases accessible to college students" -- Journal of Church and State, Summer 2000

"An objective presentation of the most important Supreme Court cases on church-state relations over the past three decades." -- Contact Publications, February 2000

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Constitution & Religion: Leading Supreme Court Cases on Church and State (Hardcover) This is an excellent reference work providing the reader with the actual text of Supreme Court decisions involving the first amendment and religion. The majority opinion and dissenting opinion(s) are presented with occasional abridgement. Most of these cases fall in three main categories: 1. Support to religious schools 2. Religion in public schools 3. Restrictions on the free exercise of one's religion The editor, Mr. Alley, provides no critique of the Supreme Court's action in these matters, so one doesn't actually critique the book in the normal sense. What the Court has written, it has written. My only disappointment was in finding that a brief summary was sometimes presented in lieu of any Court opinions. Mr. Alley undoubtedly had book size restrictions to consider (the book is 545 pages long), and presumably he gave short shrift to cases that were less (in his opinion) important, or were based significantly on reasoning established in prior cases. As an example, I have a strong interest in the creationist vs. evolution controversy. The Epperson vs. Arkansas case concerning teaching creationism in public schools was presented in a half page summary. A similar case involving a state law in Louisiana, Edwards vs. Aguillard, was dismissed in one sentence. In balance, however, it's a great reference book. I can see that this would be an outstanding resource for students writing term papers on the subject of the first amendment and religion.