The Religious Left and Church-State Relations Book

Preface ix Introduction 1

PART I: THE PLURALISTIC FOUNDATIONS OF THE RELIGION CLAUSES 9

Chapter 1. Overview of Part I 11

Chapter 2. The Free Exercise Clause 16
The Court's Approach 16
Liberal Theory 17
Communitarian Theory 18
Free Exercise Values 20
Applying the Free Exercise Clause 23

Chapter 3. Establishment Clause Values 28
Liberty and Autonomy 29
Equality 30
Stability 31
Promoting Political Community 31
Protecting the Autonomy of Government 32
Protecting Churches 32
Promoting Religion 34

Chapter 4. Applying the Establishment Clause 41
Acceptable Deviations from Equality 42
Unacceptable Conformity with Equality:
Equality in the Public School Classroom 54
Concluding Observations about Part I 58

PART II: THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE SOCIALIZATION OF CHILDREN: COMPULSORY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND VOUCHERS 61

Chapter 5. Compulsory Public Education 63
Pierce v. Society of Sisters: A Landmark Case 65
The Purposes of Public Education 68
The Limits of Compulsory Public Education 74
Constitutional? Sometimes. Good Public Policy? No. 80
Chapter 6. Vouchers 82
Are Vouchers Constitutionally Required? 82
Wise Policy for Preadolescents? 83
Should Vouchers Be Constitutionally Permitted for Religious Schools? 86
Concluding Observations about Part II 93

PART III . RELIGION AND PROGRESSIVE POLITICS 95

Chapter 7. Religion and Progressive Politics 97
Secular Liberalism 100
Religious Liberalism 106
Chapter 8. The Politics of Liberalism 110
The Relative Political Attractiveness of Secular and Religious Liberalism 110
Religion and American Party Politics 125
Grassroots Democracy, Liberal Politics, and Excessive Religious Hostility 127

Conclusion 134
Notes 137
Index 237