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Church-State Issues in America Today [Three Volumes]
Ann W. Duncan and Steven L. Jones, editors
ISBN: 0-275-99367-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-99367-2
840 pages
Praeger Publishers
Publication: 12/30/2007
List Price: $300.00 (UK Sterling Price: £206.95)
Discount Price: $150.00 Sale Price for U.S. Customers Only. Save 50%. Ends 12/31/2009.
Availability: In Stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects:
Description: Church and state issues are in the news now more than ever before. Political and religious leaders alike are negotiating shaky ground as they balance their religious/moral and political perspectives with their roles as leaders. New technologies push the boundaries of moral consensus by creating new controversies such as those involving stem-cell research and medical measures to sustain or end the lives of the terminally ill. The Supreme Court continues to work to clarify the fuzzy line between religion and politics as it addresses cases regarding abortion, school prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, among other issues. Further controversies only lead to further divisions among Americans.

Church and state issues are in the news now more than ever before. Political and religious leaders alike are negotiating on shaky ground as they balance their religious/moral and political perspectives with their roles as leaders. New technologies push the boundaries of moral consensus by creating new controversies such as those involving stem-cell research and medical measures to sustain or end the lives of the terminally ill. The Supreme Court continues to work to clarify the fuzzy line between religion and politics as it addresses cases regarding abortion, school prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance, among other issues. Further controversies only lead to further divisions among Americans.

At the beginning of the 21st century, there are as many interpretations of this separation as there are interpretations of particular issues such as abortion or school vouchers. This three-volume collection summarizes the history and current status of issues involving the separation of church and state through chapters examining the backgrounds, relevant constitutional concerns, and variety of perspectives on specific controversies. Framed by a general discussion of the history of the separation between church and state and through careful attention to subjects such as capital punishment, gay marriage, and clergy support of political leaders, there emerges an incredibly complex, enlightening, and provocative picture for anyone with an interest in the unique nature of religion in the United States of America.
Table of Contents:
  • Volume 1, Religion and Government
    Preface by Ann W. Duncan and Steven L. Jones
    Introduction: Church and State by
    Barbara A. McGraw
    Historical Perspectives on Church and State by Richard Bowser and Robin Muse
    Religion, Rhetoric, and Ritual in the U.S. Government by Ann W. Duncan
    Public Expression of Faith by Political Leaders by W. Jason Wallace
    The Internationalization of Church-State Issues by Zachary R. Calo
    The Status of Faith-Based Initiatives in the Later Bush Administration by Douglas L. Koopman
    Political Endorsements by Churches by Mary C. Segers
    The Relevance of State Constitutions to Issues of Government and Religion by David K. Ryden
    The Limits of Free Exercise in America by Timothy J. Barnett
    Appendix: Selected Cases
    Volume 2, Religion, Family, and Education
    Preface by Ann W. Duncan and Steven L. Jones
    The Family and Religion by Gordon A. Babst
    The Creation-Evolution Debate in the American Public School Classroom by Jason R. Edwards
    Freedom, Commitment, and the Challenges of Pledging of Allegiance in America's Public Schools by Lee Canipe
    Student Religious Expression within Public Schools by William Lester
    Free Speech and the Protection of Children by Mark Edward Gammon
    School Vouchers in America by Michael Coulter
    Religion and Higher Education by J. David Holcomb
    Appendix: Selected Cases
    Volume 3, Religious Convictions and Practices in Public Life
    Preface by Ann W. Duncan and Steven L. Jones
    The History and Controversies of the Abortion Debate by Francis J. Beckwith
    Religiously Motivated Political Action and Same-Sex Marriage by Katherine Stenger
    Conscientious Objection to Military Service in the United States by Chad Michael Wayner and James F. Childress
    Religiosity, Public Opinion, and the Stem Cell Debate by Eric Matthews and Erin O'Brien
    Tracing Sanctuary and Illegal Immigration as a Church
    and State Issue by Samuel S. Stanton Jr.
    Native American Sacred Sites under Federal Law by S. Alan Ray
    Consecrating the Green Movement by Nadra Hashim
    Religious Liberty and Authority in Biomedical Ethics by Courtney S. Campbell
    Appendix: Selected Cases
About the Author: ANN W. DUNCAN is a Ph.D. candidate, Department of Religious Studies, The University of Virginia. She has presented several conference papers and works in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

STEVEN L. JONES, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Grove City College, has published several articles and book reviews. He was a contributing editor to World Sociology and to Promises Kept.
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