Congress, the Supreme Court, and Religious Liberty

In the case City of Boerne v. Flores, the Supreme Court struck down the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. Waltman offers the first book-length analysis of the act to show how this case contributes to an intense legal debate still ongoing today: Can and should the Supreme Court be the exclusive interpreter of the Constitution?

In this concise and informative book, Waltman aptly discusses the legal intricacies of the case in a manner that is approachable to the reader without legal training. The book reminds us that the sterile cases contained in U.S. Reports concern real litigants with interesting stories and frequently involve a host of important decisions over the course of litigation that impact the ultimate outcome. a perfect text for any undergraduate course in church and state. (Steven K. Green, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 43 (2), June, 2017)

Autorentext
Jerold Waltman is the R.W. Morrison Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, USA and editor of the Journal of Church and State. He is the author of seven other books, including Religious Liberty and Contemporary American Politics: The Saga of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (2011).

Inhalt

1. The Road to RFRA 2. Boerne, Texas and St. Peter Apostolic Catholic Church 3. A Building Permit Denied 4. Separation of Powers and Federalism in the Rehnquist Court 5. The Federal District Court and the Court of Appeal 6. The Supreme Court Decision 7. Political Reaction 8. Back in Boerne