Activity Quote by David Barton
“In 1962 (Engel v. Vitale), the Supreme Court explained that the word 'church' would no longer mean a federally established denomination; it would now mean a religious activity in public.”
About This Quote
Source Court Case: Engel v. Vitale, US Supreme Court, 1962
The Court redefined “church” from a formal denomination to any religious activity occurring in public spaces.
In simple terms: “Church” now means public religious activity.
Key Takeaway
Recognize broader religious expression in public policy.
Themes
religion
law
public policy
separation of church and state
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
legal
interpretive
When to use this quote
- school prayer debates
- public events
- government meetings
- community festivals
Key Concepts
constitutional law
religious freedom
definition of “church”
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this broader definition affect religious neutrality?
- What challenges arise in regulating public religious activities?
A Different Perspective
The broader may blur lines between secular and sacred, causing legal ambiguity.
![“There’s a passage that I love in Romans 1. … [I]t talks about homosexuality and it says that they will receive in their bodies the penalties of their behavior. … The Bible [is] right every time … and that’s why AIDS has been something they haven’t discovered a cure for or a vaccine for. … And that…” quote by David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2a6/david-barton-18163_aids_there-s-a-passage-that-i-love-in-romans_890071.jpg)
![“It’s interesting that many of the best instructors in early America were Scottish Presbyterians. As historian George Marsden affirmed, “[I]t is not much of an exaggeration to say that outside of New England, the Scots were the educators of eighteenth-century America.”7 These Scottish instructors…” quote by David Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ef/david-barton-18163_philosophy_it-s-interesting-that-many-of-the-best-i_1015003.jpg)
