Should the wall of separation between church and state be permeable or inviolable? This question has been hotly contested since the nation's founding and contentious debates persist today. With a collection of the most significant documents and an introduction by Clarke E. Cochran that provides the historical context of the debate, prominent scholars Mary Segers and Ted Jelen debate the impact of organized religion on the democratic process, examine its influence on political discourse, and discuss its significance for the creation of public policy. The authors illuminate the constitutional implications of using religion to cultivate public morality and discuss the complexities of creating a civic-minded citizenry in a pluralistic society.

"Carefully and clearly argued, this thoughtful, exhaustive, and provocative consideration of church-state and religion-politics in our liberal democracy is a model of civic discourse." - CHOICE

"A well-written and provocative introduction to the debate over the public role of religion in the United States. . . . a rich source of information and thoughtful discussion." - Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review

"“The strength of the book lies in the clarity and straightforwardness of the prose...”" - H-Net: Humanities and Social Science Reviews Online