A Nation Under God?: The ACLU and Religion in American Politics

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Rowman & Littlefield, 2005 - 247 pages
A Nation Under God? The ACLU and Religion in American Politics questions the claim of the ACLU that the First Amendment to the Constitution requires the complete cleansing of any religious expression in the American public square. That position, Krannawitter and Palm argue, is not consistent with the principles of the American founding, but derives from early 20th century progressivism and modern liberalism that requires ultimately a reconstituting of the American regime along completely secular lines. A re-examination of the American founding, its theoretical and constitutional principles, allows for limited religious expression without violating the constitutional principle of religious liberty.

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Contents

THE ACLU AND RELIGION IN AMERICAN POLITICS TODAY
1
RELIGION AND POLITICS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
11
RELIGION AND THE MORAL CONDITIONS OF FREEDOM IN THE AMERICAN FOUNDING
25
THE PROGRESSIVE REJECTION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING
45
THE BIRTH OF THE ACLU AND THE RISE OF MODERN LIBERALISM
57
BUILDING THE WALL OF SEPARATION THE ACLU TAKES RELIGION TO COURT
67
IMMORAL RELIGION? THE ACLUs SELECT DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS FREE EXERCISE
93
CONCLUSION
115
GEORGE WASHINGTON FIRST INAUGURAL ADDRESS 1789
169
GEORGE WASHINGTON THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION 1789
173
GEORGE WASHINGTON LETTER TO THE HEBREWS AT NEWPORT 1790
175
GEORGE WASHINGTON FAREWELL ADDRESS 1796
177
JAMES MADISON A MEMORIAL AND REMONSTRANCE 1785
193
THOMAS JEFFERSON VIRGINIA STATUTE FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY 1786
201
THOMAS JEFFERSON LETTER TO THE DANBURY BAPTISTS 1802
205
SAMUEL WEST SERMON ON THE RIGHT TO REBEL AGAINST GOVERNORS 1776
207

DOCUMENTS FROM THE FOUNDING ON RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
127
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IN CONGRESS JULY 4 1776
129
NORTHWEST ORDINANCE 1787
135
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION 1787
137
STATE CONSTITUTIONS ACKNOWLEDGING GOD
139
SAMUEL COOPER SERMON ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS CONSTITUTION 1780
229
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
INDEX
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