One Nation Under God?

This book discusses the controversy surrounding the constitutionality of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance by exploring the history of the government's references to God, American "civil religion," the background of the Constitution, the Supreme Court's Establishment Clause rulings, and advocating a new rationale.

This book discusses the controversy surrounding the constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance by exploring the history of the government’s references to God, American “civil religion,” the background of the Constitution, the Supreme Court’s Establishment Clause rulings, and advocating a new rationale.

Preface1. A Brief History of Government's References to God"In God We Trust"The Pledge and "Under God"Religion and the Early Federal GovernmentAmerican Civil Religion2. Religion, the Constitution, and the Supreme CourtNo Religious TestsThe Nonestablishment ClauseThe Free Exercise ClauseThe Free Speech ClauseSeparationist and Accommodationist IdealsNeutralityThe Lemon TestThe Endorsement TestThe Reasonable or Objective ObserverThe Coercion TestAcknowledgments of Our Religious HeritageLegal JudgmentThe Constitution and the Supreme Court3. God-References and the CourtsSupreme Court DictaState Court DecisionsLower Federal Court DecisionsNewdow v. the United States Congress4. Assessing the Courts' ArgumentsDo the God-References Have Religious Meaning?Have God-References Lost Their Religious Nature?Affirmations, Creeds, and Entailed BeliefsCeremonial DeismHistorical AcknowledgmentsReligious Symbolism and the Supreme CourtReligious Symbolism and EndorsementConclusion5. A Better Approach for Upholding Government References to GodReligion Versus Religious InstitutionsSectarian and Nonsectarian SymbolsThe Threshold QuestionThe Problem of Any Religious SymbolsLimitations on Symbolic Aid to ReligionUse of Other Religious SymbolsGovernment God-References in Public SchoolsThe Drawbacks to This ApproachConclusionChurch-State Cases CitedReferences and Other WorksIndex