Carrying ourselves back

How a religious document contributed to religious freedom

Abstract

The deepest source of religious rights in the United States is the First Amendment to its Constitution, which states in two clauses that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” These two clauses are shown to derive from the American Westminster Confession of Faith, a connection that helps us recover the clauses’ original intention and application. Through a Golden Rule ethic, government officials and many courts are exhibiting a new protectiveness and appreciation of religion without imposing doctrine on American citizens.