Positive Neutrality: Letting Religious Freedom Ring

by Stephen Monsma

Overview

Church-state relations are becoming more and more critical. Deepening controversies over church-state relations, the increasing religious pluralism of American society, and the changing makeup of the Supreme Court are forcing a rethinking of approaches to church and state in the public policy realm. Stephen Monsma offers a new approach rooted in structural pluralism as a normative way to understand church-state relations. He suggests that the government should use a principle of positive neutrality in handling church-state relations. He integrates historical, theoretical, social, and legal perspectives and writes in a lively manner for interdisciplinary audiences of students, scholars, and general readers.

This study provides an historical background of church and state relations in American society and discusses the development of church-state theory and practice. The author argues that confusions today can be traced back to flaws in the disestablishment settlement of the eighteenth century, flaws which have come to light in the twentieth century. He looks at this pluralist society and the concept of positive neutrality and of religious freedom historically and theoretically and then applies his approach to current issues relating to national policy and Supreme Court decision-making.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313279638
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/10/1992
Series:	Contributions in Legal Studies , #69
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.69(d)
Lexile:	1600L (what's this?)

About the Author

STEPHEN V. MONSMA, is a Professor of Political Science, at Pepperdine University. He is the author or editor of several studies dealing with religion and politics including Responsible Technology: A Christian Perspective (1986), Pursuing Justice in a Sinful World (1984) and American Politics (1976).

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Church and State in American Society
The Present: Church-State Theory and Practice
The Past as Prologue: The Development of Church-State Theory and Practice
Back to Basics: The Pluralist Understanding of Society
Positive Neutrality: Religious Freedom in a Free Society
Positive Neutrality in the Political Arena
Bibliography
Index