In order to fully understand the precarious nature of a situation, it is sometimes necessary to step back and view it from another perspective. In the context of constitutionally protected religious freedom in the United States, this perspective can be obtained by looking to other countries around the world. A recent development in Bangladesh’s constitutional Read More

There are few people who would deny that the first Europeans to travel to the land that would become the United States of America were fiercely religious. They believed so strongly that their way of life was the correct one that they fled persecution in their homelands to find ground where they could plant roots Read More

Many cases have passed through the American court system that contribute to what we understand to be the current state of First Amendment jurisprudence. These cases together form a structure that is supposed to provide guidance to us as citizens, both lawyers and nonlawyers alike. It is also a part of American culture to question Read More

Any time that proponents of combining secular governance principles with the (Christian) church profess their belief that this nation should be a religious nation, they should be reminded of the many sins committed by the religious states of the past and how our Constitution was created to prevent those sins from being used against American Read More

Which is more true in today’s political environment: ‘Faith in politics’ or ‘Faith and politics’?  At the heart of this question is what many Americans struggle with every election season, as they are bombarded by the beliefs of candidates for an office that is (perhaps remarkably) still very secular. The original language of the U.S. Read More

The United States has been considered a Christian country for most of its history. It was not until the 1960s, however, that religion and politics became almost inextricably entwined. When the country’s first Catholic president took his oath of office, he did so despite the extreme pressure from opponents during his run who ran smear Read More

It seems that we have more questions than answers when it comes to the group that is widely called ISIS. Where did they come from? What do they want? Why are they so angry that they would be willing to kill thousands (or millions) in the name of the nebulous ideals they seem to put Read More

The United States has a complicated history when it comes to religion, despite its founders having strong ties to the religions of their forefathers.  When the first settlers came to what is now known as New England, they did so in part in an attempt to be free from religious persecution.  The Puritans, Huguenots, Mennonites, Read More

Whenever there is a tragedy where innocent civilians are harmed, the first question that is usually asked is, “Why?” When that answer is tied to religion, it is fodder for many who wish nothing more than to promote their religion over another. It is at these times that it is important to consider the dueling Read More

With the recent tragedy in Oregon, Americans are reminded yet again of the dangerous power of religious conviction. News reports of the incident informed us that the shooter allegedly linked his killings to whether the victims were Christian. This and other incidents around the world lead many to believe that violence and religion are different Read More