United Methodist minister David Jenkins was meeting with fellow clergy last year in the small Kansas community of Sharon Springs when one of the pastors made what sounded like a routine request. He noted that the Todd Becker Foundation was coming to town, and the evangelical Christian organization, which purports to warn youngsters about the…

This policy brief addresses federal and state constitutional issues that arise when faith-based organizations participate in state prekindergarten (pre-k) programs and recommends safeguards to ensure that public funding of those programs complies with constitutional principles respecting the separation of church and state and freedom of religion.…

This essay argues for the development of a research agenda on the comparative history of Catholic education internationally from the nineteenth century to the present. This requires, in the first instance, the production of a series of individual-country case studies, concentrating on relations between the Catholic Church and the particular state…

Background/Context: Conservative jurists and scholars have reached the conclusion that the traditional separation of public funding from religious organizations in K-12 education was "born of bigotry," and inherently anti-Catholic. This claim rests on the misuse of revisionist historical interpretations that emphasize ethno-cultural…

In this article, the author discusses several issues and concerns on the case of religious groups who attempt to seek converts in school, hiding under the guise of assemblies and free talks on any topic that might be of interest to the school. Students are then lured to a pizza party after, where they are subjected to high-pressure evangelism and…

This paper examines the question of whether the religious broadcasting industry has indirectly received unconstitutional aid from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It reviews individual FCC cases involving religious programing and religious broadcasters, the constitutional meaning of the establishment clause, and the limits the courts…

Summarizes a complex case involving a reopened Minnesota elementary school serving children of the Brethren, a religious group that had earlier bought the school. Although no religious instruction occurred there, two taxpayers successfully sued the district. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed this decision, noting the secular nature of…

This collection of essays on the campus ministry attempts to stimulate interest in developing an efficacious, contemporary role for religion in campus life. An introduction by Clement W. Welch states the place and relationship of the church in the academic community. A section of descriptive essays follows. John J. Kirvan, C.S.P., describes the…

Discusses the impact of the Equal Access Act (1984) on the secondary school. Examines those court cases which served as the precursors of this act. Notes that the extent of participation by religious groups in an open forum remains to be seen. (KO)

Describes recent court decisions which have affected equal access to open forums within schools. Reports that there is much confusion surrounding equal access as defined by the courts. Notes that indecision regarding the constitutionality of equal access has led to a flurry of action by schools. Lists questions facing these schools in deciding…

Examines recent court holdings concerning the schools and the celebration of religious holidays, the establishment of religious clubs and organizations, and the distribution of Bibles. (IRT)

Shows that application of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Title VII to religious organizations and lay employees does not violate the free exercise clause, whereas a blanket exemption might run afoul of the establishment clause. Available from University of Pittsburgh Law Review, 3900 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260; single copies $2.50.…

Used demographic data and surveys as data collection methods for a profile on church-housed child care in the United States. Discusses (1) aspects of the operation of centers; (2) churches involved; (3) kinds of support churches provide; (4) pros and cons of church-housed programs; and (5) controversies concerning state funding of church-housed…

The Good News Club sued the Milford (New York) Public Schools in federal district court for prohibiting the group from meeting on school grounds. Judge McVoy dismissed the case; the club's weekly meetings did not fit the category of secular youth group meetings allowed in the district's limited public forum. (MLH)