Recent Books and Articles on Religion and Law

Religion Clause blog has a nice list of articles addressing the interaction between religion and law. Some of the more interesting ones (to me):

• Jennifer Carr, Complicity and Collection: Religious Freedom and Tax, (University of St. Thomas Law Journal, Vol. 11, No. 2, p. 183, Spring 2014).
• Robert D. Goldstein, The Structural Wall of Separation and the Erroneous Claim of Anti-Catholic Discrimination, (13 Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal 173 (2014)).
• Michael J. Perry, Obergefell v. Hodges: An Imagined Opinion, Concurring in the Judgment, (Emory Legal Studies Research Paper No. 15-356 (June 27, 2015)).
• Adam Lamparello, Justice Kennedy’s Decision in Obergefell: A Sad Day for the Judiciary, (July 2, 2015).
• Susannah William Pollvogt,  Obergefell v. Hodges: Framing Fundamental Rights, (June 29, 2015).

Read the full list here, which also includes three new books. The links will take you to the Social Sciences Research Network, where you can read the articles in your browser or download as a PDF.

(Note: I have had many readers asking me if I was going to write about the recent ruling from the US Supreme Court on same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges). It is a major decision that involves the interaction between religion and law. So the answer is ‘yes,’ but I do not like to form opinions too quickly on such complex and emotionally-charged issues. I am taking my time to read, research, and analyze. Here are a few general thoughts: from a legal point of view, it is an interesting decision because of the state-federal issues of even agreeing to hear the case. From a religious point of view is is interesting, not because the ruling itself has much effect on Christians, but because of future controversies that may arise because of it. Finally, the legal/religious element is interesting because it conceivably places two constitutionally-approved protections against each other.

As usual, I encourage my readers to read the decision itself rather than relying on proponents of either side to tell you about it. Read the SCOTUS opinion here, listen to the oral arguments before the Court here (part 1) and here (part 2).