Church and State

Term Paper # 116291

Education > Curriculum
Law > Constitution
Law > Historic Trials

Church and State

A discussion on the issue of the separation of Church and State in the US.

2,322 words () | 6 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the ongoing battle in the US over whether public schools should or should not include religion and prayer as part of their daily activities or curriculum. The paper relates that the main issue surrounding the separation of church and state within the United States, deals predominantly with the First Amendment and how Americans respond to this amendment. Throughout history, there have been numerous court cases dealing with the issue of separation of church and state and the paper focuses on one of these in particular: 'Engel vs. Vitale'. The paper concludes that, although the teaching and promulgation of a particular faith system is accepted as appropriate in educational institutions founded and funded as private religious organizations, it is both inappropriate and illegal for any public school or any public school teacher to propagate or to endorse in any way the concepts or dogmas associated with any specific religion or belief system.

From the Paper:

" Ten pupils of the public school asked if this prayer was against their religious beliefs, and those beliefs that their parents had taught them. Their parents felt that the prayer was a direct violation of the First Amendment statement "Congress shall make no law respecting on establishment of religion." The courts of appeal ordered that New York had a right to say the Regent Prayer because it did not compel students to join in on the prayer, and because the prayer was completely optional. The students had the option of saying the prayer or simply not listen to it and participate. It was there for those students who did want to say the daily morning prayer. This ruling was protected by the rights of the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendments."

Sample of Sources Used:

Bodehamer, David j., and James W. Ely Jr., eds. The Bill of Rights in Modern America: After 200 years. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993.
Bork, Robert. "What to do about the First Amendment." Commentary 99(F1995):23-29.
Dawson, Joseph Martin. Americas Way in Church, State, and Society. New York:MacMillian, 1953. Engel v. Vitale. 370 U.S. 421. (1962).
Hughson, Thomas. "From James Madison to William lee Miller: John Courtney Murray Baptist theory of the First Amendment." Journal of Church and State 37(W1995): 15-37.
Whitfield, Stephen. "Separation Anxiety(From Founders to Fundamentalist)."Judaism 43(S1995) 131-145.