Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation Between Church and State [Hardcover]

The origins, controversial uses, and competing interpretations of Jefferson's famous remark wall of separation between church and state

No phrase in American letters has had a more profound influence on church-state law, policy, and discourse than Thomas Jeffersons wall of separation between church and state, and few metaphors have provoked more passionate debate. Introduced in an 1802 letter to the Danbury, Connecticut Baptist Association, Jeffersons wall is accepted by many Americans as a concise description of the U.S. Constitutions church-state arrangement and conceived as a virtual rule of constitutional law.

Despite the enormous influence of the wall metaphor, almost no scholarship has investigated the text of the Danbury letter, the context in which it was written, or Jeffersons understanding of his famous phrase.Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation Between Church and Stateoffers an in-depth examination of the origins, controversial uses, and competing interpretations of this powerful metaphor in law and public policy.

Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation Between Church and State offers an in-depth examination of the origins, controversial uses, and competing interpretations of this powerful metaphor in law and public policy. In the opinion of this reviewer, Dreisbach is undeniably correct. His research is thorough, and his analysis comports with the history of the period. Dreisbachs study of Jefferson's likely meaning when he utilized the phrase wall of separation makes a valuable contribution to an important area of the constitutional law, an area of great consequence to Christians. The fact that it is written by a law professor at a top twenty law school increases its significance and credibility in the scholar world. The book has a minimum of legal jargon and can easily be understood. Daniel Dreisbachs book is highly recommended. Daniel Dreisbachs book is a welcome and much needed addition tolé