The Law of Church and State: General Principles and Current Interpretations

Cynthia Brougher
Legislative Attorney

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from establishing a religion and guarantees citizens the right to freely exercise their religion. The U.S. Supreme Court has clarified the scope of these broad guarantees. This report provides an overview of the governing principles of the law of church and state. It explains the legal requirements for challenges under the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause and the standards used to evaluate such challenges. The report includes current interpretations of these clauses and summarizes related statutes (P.L. 103-141, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, and P.L. 106-274, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA).


Date of Report: June 2, 2010
Number of Pages: 9
Order Number: RS22833
Price: $29.95

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