GOVT182 CM - Church and State in American Constitutionalism

Over two hundred years into the American experiment, issues of church and state continue to divide the nation. How far reaching is “the great separation” between church and state? Does it require the development of a secular citizenry? Is it consistent with claims that America is a Christian nation? The vexed relationship between church and state is at the heart of public debates regarding education, marriage, and numerous other issues. To illuminate current debates we will examine the philosophical and political arguments for separation and how these have played out over the course of American constitutional history.

Prerequisite: GOVT 020 CM

Offered: Occasionally

Credit: 1

Course Number: GOVT182 CM