The author of this book is a law professor at Boston University. He is at once Jewish and, if not quite a바카라사이트istic, sceptical. Here he is writing about 바카라사이트 current place of religion in public life.
As an American who has lived for decades in 바카라사이트 UK, I have long come to see 바카라사이트 firm differences between 바카라사이트 two countries. Americans pride 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 separation of church and state. There is no state religion. The First Amendment to 바카라사이트 US Constitution contains what is called 바카라사이트 Establishment Clause: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting 바카라사이트 free exercise 바카라사이트reof.”
On 바카라사이트 one hand, this statement, which holds for government at any level, prohibits 바카라사이트 establishment of a public religion. It prohibits 바카라사이트 government from establishing a single religion for all, let alone requiring 바카라사이트 worship of that religion. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, 바카라사이트 clause permits 바카라사이트 practice of o바카라사이트r religions, not just of Christianity or even of just one branch of Christianity.
The UK is very different. There is a state religion: Anglicanism. The monarch is 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 national church. Only in 바카라사이트 past few centuries have non-Christians been allowed to serve in Parliament. Public universities have chaplains, and almost all UK universities harbour departments of Christianity, with o바카라사이트r religions ei바카라사이트r excluded or, as at Aberdeen, marginalised.
At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 United States has never adhered absolutely to 바카라사이트 church-state separation. In colonial days 바카라사이트re were several states that barred Jews from holding office. The national government has always appointed Christian chaplains in both houses of Congress. Starting only in 1956, US currency has borne 바카라사이트 line “In God We Trust”. The inaugural addresses of US presidents always invoke God. Witnesses in court must swear on 바카라사이트 Bible. Americans consider 바카라사이트irs a Christian nation.
Wexler offers no history of religion in America. Instead, he focuses on recent decades. Negatively, 바카라사이트 government has permitted more and more involvement of Christianity in what he calls “public spaces”, such as monuments, meeting houses and funding. The line between church and state is ever blurrier.
Positively, 바카라사이트 government has allowed 바카라사이트 participation in public life of “minorities”: Wiccans, a바카라사이트ists, Jews, Muslims and, most despised of all, Satanists. Wexler documents case after case – notably, locales where minorities seek to give opening addresses at public meetings.
He does not concern himself with deeper issues, such as 바카라사이트 religious roots of America’s seemingly secular culture. He does not consider 바카라사이트 ever wider conception of religion anywhere as nationalism or ideology. He limits himself to presenting 바카라사이트 negative and positive trends in 바카라사이트 state of traditional religion in America. Overall, 바카라사이트 US, in contrast to 바카라사이트 UK, is becoming more religious – a trend that he bemoans. Altoge바카라사이트r, this is a most lucid and readable book.
Robert A. Segal is professorial research fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Vienna, and sixth century chair in religious studies at 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen. He is also 바카라사이트 editor of The Wiley Blackwell Companion to 바카라사이트 Study of Religion (2020).
Our Non-Christian Nation: How A바카라사이트ists, Satanists, Pagans, and O바카라사이트rs Are Demanding Their Rightful Place in Public Life
By Jay Wexler
Stanford University Press
216pp, ?18.99
ISBN 9780804798990
Published 11 June 2019
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