Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Encyclopedia
Americans United for Separation of Church and State (Americans United or AU for short) is a group that advocates separation of church and state
, a legal doctrine interpreted by AU as being enshrined in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
to the United States Constitution
.
.
It has both religious and non-religious members, as well as members from various political parties
. Many members of the clergy have been involved in the work of Americans United.
Its current executive director, Barry W. Lynn
, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ
, as well as an attorney long active on behalf of civil liberties.
The organization aimed to influence political leaders, and it began publishing Church & State magazine and other materials in support of church-state separation to educate the general public. These activities continue today and form the core of Americans United’s operations.
In its first years a main focus of AU's activity was opposition to the political agenda of the Roman Catholic Church
and it was seen by critics as an anti-Catholic organization. In 1960 AU Executive Director Glenn L. Archer
entered into a dialog with presidential candidate John F. Kennedy
to assess his views on church-state relations.
In 1962 and 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court
handed down landmark rulings striking down government-sponsored prayer
and Bible reading in public schools. Calls soon began emanating from Congress to amend the Constitution to protect the "right to pray in school." But Americans United defended the rulings, pointing out that no branch of government has the right to compel children to take part in religious worship and that truly voluntary student prayer remained legal.
In the late 1970s and the 1980s the "Religious Right
", especially Jerry Falwell
's Moral Majority
, attacked church-state separation, tried to introduce fundamentalist theology into the public schools and demanded tax subsidies for religious education. Americans United helped secure a string of court victories that turned back these attempts.
In the 1990s Religious Right forces regrouped under Pat Robertson
’s Christian Coalition of America. This organization demanded an end to public education and called for the “Christianization” of politics. Americans United publicized and opposed this agenda.
In recent years AU has continued to oppose religion in public schools, school-voucher initiatives in the states, and “faith-based” initiatives in the federal government and in the states.
AU participated in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
, which concerned the teaching of intelligent design
in public school science classes.
Americans United has tried to ensure that houses of worship do not endorse or oppose candidates for public office, which would violate their religious tax exemption. AU has submitted reports of possible violations to the IRS. The organization encourages its members to monitor sermons and activities in local houses of worship for illegal politicking.
People
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
, a legal doctrine interpreted by AU as being enshrined in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
The Establishment Clause is the first of several pronouncements in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, stating, Together with the Free Exercise Clause The Establishment Clause is the first of several pronouncements in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,...
to the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
.
Mission
The guiding principle of Americans United is that all Americans have the constitutional right to practice the religion of their choice, or refrain from taking part in religion, as individual conscience dictates, and that government must remain neutral in matters of religion. As stated in the organization's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list (in the question 'Where is the “separation of church and state” in the Constitution?'): "Requiring neutrality removes the authority of government from religious practice and protects each citizen's right to express his or her personal beliefs.Organization
Americans United is officially non-sectarian and non-partisan. Its national headquarters are in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
It has both religious and non-religious members, as well as members from various political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. Many members of the clergy have been involved in the work of Americans United.
Its current executive director, Barry W. Lynn
Barry W. Lynn
Barry W. Lynn, Esq. has been the Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State since 1992. He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and a prominent leader of the American religious left...
, is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, as well as an attorney long active on behalf of civil liberties.
History
Americans United for Separation of Church and State was founded in 1947 as Protestants and Other Americans United for Separation of Church and State (POAU) by a broad coalition of religious, educational and civic leaders in response to proposals pending in the U.S. Congress to extend government aid to private religious schools. They believed that government support for religious education would violate church-state separation. The decision was made to form a national organization to promote this point of view and defend the separation principle.The organization aimed to influence political leaders, and it began publishing Church & State magazine and other materials in support of church-state separation to educate the general public. These activities continue today and form the core of Americans United’s operations.
In its first years a main focus of AU's activity was opposition to the political agenda of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and it was seen by critics as an anti-Catholic organization. In 1960 AU Executive Director Glenn L. Archer
Glenn L. Archer
Glenn L. Archer was the founder of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, formerly known as Protestants and Other Americans United for Separation of Church and State....
entered into a dialog with presidential candidate John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
to assess his views on church-state relations.
In 1962 and 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court
Abington School District v. Schempp
Abington Township School District v. Schempp , 374 U.S. 203 , was a United States Supreme Court case argued on February 27–28, 1963 and decided on June 17, 1963...
handed down landmark rulings striking down government-sponsored prayer
School prayer
School prayer in its common usage refers to state-approved prayer by students in state schools. Depending on the country and the type of school, organized prayer may be required, permitted, or prohibited...
and Bible reading in public schools. Calls soon began emanating from Congress to amend the Constitution to protect the "right to pray in school." But Americans United defended the rulings, pointing out that no branch of government has the right to compel children to take part in religious worship and that truly voluntary student prayer remained legal.
In the late 1970s and the 1980s the "Religious Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
", especially Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
's Moral Majority
Moral Majority
The Moral Majority was a political organization of the United States which had an agenda of evangelical Christian-oriented political lobbying...
, attacked church-state separation, tried to introduce fundamentalist theology into the public schools and demanded tax subsidies for religious education. Americans United helped secure a string of court victories that turned back these attempts.
In the 1990s Religious Right forces regrouped under Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
’s Christian Coalition of America. This organization demanded an end to public education and called for the “Christianization” of politics. Americans United publicized and opposed this agenda.
In recent years AU has continued to oppose religion in public schools, school-voucher initiatives in the states, and “faith-based” initiatives in the federal government and in the states.
AU participated in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al. was the first direct challenge brought in the United States federal courts testing a public school district policy that required the teaching of intelligent design...
, which concerned the teaching of intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
in public school science classes.
Americans United has tried to ensure that houses of worship do not endorse or oppose candidates for public office, which would violate their religious tax exemption. AU has submitted reports of possible violations to the IRS. The organization encourages its members to monitor sermons and activities in local houses of worship for illegal politicking.
See also
- Christian RightChristian rightChristian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
- Christian LeftChristian leftThe Christian left is a term originating in the United States, used to describe a spectrum of left-wing Christian political and social movements which largely embraces social justice....
People
- James C. CormanJames C. CormanJames Charles Corman was a Los Angeles City Council member from 1957 to 1961 and a Democratic Congressman from California between 1961 and 1981.-General:...
(1920–2000), California politician, president of Americans United
External links
- Americans United official website
- List of local chapters of Americans United
- Why the Religious Right is Wrong About Separation of Church and State, Speech by Rob BostonRob BostonRobert Boston has been Assistant Director of Communications for Americans United for Separation of Church and State and Assistant Editor of Church & State magazine since 1987. Boston is an advocate of separation of church and state and has authored three books on the subject. He frequently...
of Americans United for Separation of Church and State to the Freethought Association - Allen Dulles Papers at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University