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The First Amendment’s two religion clauses require the government to “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Historically, the Supreme Court has interpreted these clauses by saying, for example, that a government official like a public school teacher may not lead prayer in a classroom, but a student may silently pray in school. While the Constitution does not explicitly set out a theory of the separation between church and state, in 1947 Justice Hugo Black constitutionalized the theory in the landmark case, Everson v. Board of Education of Ewing Township . Black’s statement is very clear and pointed, and here it is in full. He ruled that “neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will, or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or nonattendance. No tax in any amount, large or […]