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Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Authors

Rose Lindsay

Keywords

Church and State, Constitution, Everson v. Board o(Education

Abstract

The interlocking of church and state has been one of the most prolific sources of human strife. The American founding fathers recognized the precarious nature of the relationship between church and state. They accepted the basic premise, enunciated by James Madison in his Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments, "religion is not within the cognizance of Civil Government"(Cord 1982, 247). To prevent the treacherous combination of religious power with federal power, the founding fathers added the First Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1791. Breaking sharply with the past's tradition of melding church and state, they declared. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ... "

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