Americans United For the Separation of Church and State
The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States
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2005
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© The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information)
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Americans United For the Separation of Church and State In 1947 a group of political, religious, and educational leaders, fearful that advocates of parochial school education were mounting a drive for public financial subsidies, formed Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Known today simply as Americans United, AU believes that the principle of separation of church and state is a cornerstone of religious liberty. Today AU represents more than 52,000 individuals as well as 3,000 churches and religious groups.
Although viewing its primary task as educational, over the years AU has participated in a variety of church‐state litigation. AU sponsors cases, provides counsel, and submits
amicus curiae briefs. Since 1971, AU has been involved in some fifteen cases before the Supreme Court as well as dozens in lower courts.
AU has challenged government aid in any form to parochial schools, contending that their educational programs are infused with the sectarian beliefs of their sponsoring church. The most significant suits in which AU has participated are
Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971), providing the basic doctrine to date for
Establishment Clause analysis, and
Flast v. Cohen (1968), establishing standing for federal taxpayers contesting the use of federal funds on Establishment Clause grounds. Generally, AU has been successful in cases where government aid directly finances school activities, as in
Aguilar v. Felton (1985) and
School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball (1984), but less successful when the support is funneled through the child's family as a tax credit, only indirectly benefiting the school, as in
Mueller v. Allen (1983).
See also
Education;
Religion.
Stanley Ingber
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CHURCH-STATE CONFLICTS ON THE RISE BANNERS, USE OF SCHOOLS AT ISSUE COMMUNITIES EYE CHURCH-STATE CONFLICTS MANSFIELD
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 9/6/2001; ; 700+ words
; ...the First Amendment gives the church the right to place a banner...violate separation of church and state. "We believe it is a freedom...tax dollars." Church and state conflicts have flared in several...the First Amendment, which states in part, "Congress shall...religious ...
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Church, state should serve different masters.(Brief Article)
Magazine article from: The Masthead; 12/22/1999; 700+ words
; ...had to worry about his church's 501(c)3 tax...t so lucky. Many churches now have separate nonprofit...have their way, the church's government-agency...partnership between church and state as part of their campaigns...institutions -- the church and the state. Gore...reform law ...
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Venezuela church-state clash grows.(WORLD)
Newspaper article from: The Christian Science Monitor; 7/24/2008; ; 700+ words
; ...The fledgling Reformist Catholic Church of Venezuela describes itself as having...for the poor. But the Roman Catholic Church here dismisses the new offshoot as a...the needs of the poor, more breakaway churches like this one in Venezuela are cropping...Latin America." The Reformist Catholic ...
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Church, State and Society in Kenya: From Mediation to Opposition, 1963-1993.(Book Review)
Magazine article from: Journal of Church and State; 9/22/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...church did not confront the state because of the following reasons...political opposition, emergence of church leaders trained in political...religion in Third World politics, state and societal relations in Africa, and the role of the churches in politics and civil society...activities of ...
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Church, state, and Catholic ethics: the Kenyan dilemma.(Essay)
Magazine article from: Theological Studies; 3/1/2009; ; 700+ words
; ...characterize the relationship of church, state, and Catholic ethics in Africa...second assesses the role of churches in the public sphere. (3...somewhat checkered evolution of church-state relationship. The...assumed position envisaged the churches cooperating with the state...
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 "The Record (Bergen County, NJ)")
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CHURCH & STATE
Newspaper article from: The Record (Bergen County, NJ); 1/26/2001; ; 700+ words
; ...practice blurs the line between church and state. "We opposed it from the...United for Separation of Church and State, a watchdog agency...organizations, "there were church-state separation safeguards in place." Churches, for example, had to comply...
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Editorial -- Yakima Church-State "Entanglement' Good
Newspaper article from: Yakima Herald-Republic; 3/8/1999; 608 words
; ...on separation of church and state. They weren't too keen on...government imposing any religion or church on the people, given the track...people thinking separation of church and state means government should be anti-church. Not so. And a good example...cooperation between government ...
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Texas Court Violated Church/State Separation by Determining that Church Ministering to a Gay Congregation was not 'Mainline'.
PR Newswire; 8/30/1999; 700+ words
; ...A Texas court violated church/state separation by deciding that...attend only a "mainline" church with her mother, six religious...the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the...the Metropolitan Community Church called on the Texas Court of...
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Separation of Church & State: Deconstructing Jefferson's Wall.
Magazine article from: The Bond Buyer; 8/15/2005; ; 700+ words
; ...without established churches, by preventing Congress...disestablishing) any churches. The people in the states would safeguard religious...separation -of -church -and state, the clause also...state-established churches since the mid-1830s...the people in the states ...
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MINISTER LAUDS CHURCH, STATE LINKS
Newspaper article from: The Boston Globe; 9/6/2003; ; 700+ words
; ...thinks America obsesses about church-state distinctions, with the fight...incurably religious. The churches are always full on Sundays...There's a separation between church and state? A. Yes, but...second look. Q. Are Western churches and countries doing enough...
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Living Church Movement
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Russian History
...that advocated the separation of church and state, greater democracy within the church, and the use of modern Russian instead...percent of Russian Orthodox parish churches by the time their national church council convened in May 1923. The...
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Church III, Frank Forrester
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of World Biography
...at stake, the United States need not intervene. Church warned that winning the...speaking abilities, Church joined the Boise High...team, then led it to a state championship. As a junior...Harbor and the United States had joined World War II. Church enlisted in the Army...
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Church of Ireland
Book article from: The Oxford Companion to Irish History
...they saw it) was that the state repeatedly proved unwilling...Catholic recusants to attend church. From 1633, under the direction...recusants to reforming the church itself. Bramhall and Wentworth...perfectly valid point that the church was severely handicapped by...benefices impoverished, ...
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Reformed Churches
Dictionary entry from: Dictionary of American History
...American Reformed Churches, the Netherlands...mosaic of the United States. The former traces...of the Reformed Church in the United States...Congregational Christian Churches to form the United Church of Christ. The...the name Reformed Church in the United States, a ...
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Church and State
Book article from: American Eras
Church and State Established Churches. For hundreds of years the official church of western and central Europe was the Roman Catholic Church. After the Protestant Reformation...Christians into different churches, the nations of Europe...
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