Church Quote by Hugo Black

The Establishment Clause stands as an expression of principle on the part of the Founders of our Constitution that religion is too personal, too…

— Hugo Black

The Establishment Clause prohibits government from making adherence to a religion relevant in any way to a person's standing in the political community.

— Sandra Day O'Connor

The "establishment of religion" clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a…

— Hugo Black

With respect to public acknowledgment of religious belief, it is entirely clear from our nation's historical practices that the Establishment Clause permits this disregard…

— Antonin Scalia

The Free Exercise Clause at the very least was designed to guarantee freedom of conscience by prohibiting any degree of compulsion in matters of…

— Harry A. Blackmun

[T]he bill exceeds the rightful authority to which governments are limited by the essential distinction between civil and religious functions, and violates in particular…

— James Madison

Approving some religious claims while deeming others unworthy of accommodation could be 'perceived as favoring one religion over another,' the very 'risk the [Constitution's]…

— Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Under the First Amendment's prohibition of the establishment of religion, the Court has steadily made religion a matter for the private individual by driving…

— Robert Bork

The establishment clause was transformed from a shield for religion into a cover for the official sanctioning of religious tolerance.

— Ralph E. Reed, Jr

The idea of legally establishing inalienable, inherent and sacred rights of the individual is not of political but religious origin.

— George Jellinek

This is perhaps the most important statement on religion ever made. It clarified the intent of the founders of the constitution irrespective of the…

— Thomas Jefferson

The church doctrines of obedience to authority, repentance, fear of punishment, self-abnegation, acceptance of outer direction rather than inner assurance, elevation of faith over…

— Madalyn Murray O'Hair