PS 202 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Free Exercise Clause, Vashti Mccollum, Michael Newdow

• School: University of Illinois
• Department: Political Science
• Course: PS 202
• Professor: Rudolph Thomas

Document Summary

Witte (2011) observes six key principles in the the founders" writings on religion. This principle was embraced by virtually everyone, even proponents of establishment. Liberty of conscience protects voluntarism citizens" private right to choose their religion. Liberty of conscience prohibits religious discrimination against individuals. Liberty of conscience guarantees a freedom and exemption from human impositions and legal restraints in matters of religion and conscience, i. e. oath-swearing, military service for paci sts, taxing and tithing for state churches. Liberty of conscience means little unless people can act on their choices of conscience. Free exercise of religion is generally thought to include at least the following: religious worship, religious speech, religious assembly, religious publication, and religious education. All 13 of the state constitutions provided at least some guarantees for free exercise. Evangelical and enlightenment writers emphasized the need for confessional pluralism the accommodation of many forms of religious expression in the community: evangelicals argued for this on theological grounds.