LAW-6428 LAW & RELIGION
This course will explore the intersection between law and religion, two of the oldest institutions of humanity. The primary focus of the course will be the interpretation and application of the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. A variety of judicial, historical and theoretical readings will be assigned to illustrate historical tensions between law and religion in the United States, such as the establishment of religion in early America; the role of religion in the abolitionist movement; and government aid or endorsement of religion in education and public welfare. Time permitting, the course will address current controversies to develop an understanding of issues facing the United States at home and abroad. Students will have ample latitude to examine how law and religion influence one another in America or in legal and religious traditions outside the American context. The final grade will be based on a class participation (10%), a class presentation (20%), and a final paper (70%). The paper is to be approximately twenty pages in length, but may be upgraded to thirty pages to satisfy the Upper Level Writing Requirement.
Distribution
Law