People have been denied citizenship in America for many reasons. Would it surprise you to learn that four of those people were denied because they were conscientious objectors to war? The government believed that because they were not willing to bear arms in defense of the country, they were not attached to the principles of the Constitution, as required by naturalization law. Ironically, none of these people were eligible for military service because of their age, and two of them were women. Furthermore, when both women were denied citizenship it was during a period when women could not serve in the military. Following overviews of the history of immigration and pacifism in America, chapters are devoted to the four different forms of conscientious objection: philosophical absolute pacifism, religiously informed absolute pacifism, selective conscientious objection, and conscientious cooperator. Each chapter discusses the individual, the arguments for their claim to citizenship, the government's arguments against them, and an analysis of the Supreme Court Opinion in their case. In short, each chapter gives a comprehensive treatment of the personalities and the issues involved. A fascinating and informative read for theology and law students, scholars and for those intrigued in immigration and/or pacifism.

In this two volume set, Toward Benevolent Neutrality presents the text of virtually every significant Supreme Court decision concerning religious freedom and separation of church and state. Also included are essays interpreting the historical background and legal issues involved in each case, beginning with the principal events leading to the adoption of the First Amendment.

The religion clauses of the First Amendment, which seem simple and clear, have been and continue to be controversial in their application. Church-state issues have never been more complex, controversial, and divisive than they are today. In this helpful and instructive book, Ronald B. Flowers explains clearly and concisely the intricacies and implications of Supreme Court decisions in the volatile area of church-state relations. This is an ideal primer for those Americans who have listened to the debates about what the Supreme Court has and has not said about the relationship between church and state, and where the boundaries between the two have been eroded. It is also ideal for use in the classroom, specifically in undergraduate courses in religion and the court, introductions to U.S. constitutional law, constitutional law and politics, and the Supreme Court. The book is also a helpful tool for pastors, clarifying contemporary church-state issues that impact their churches and parishioners directly and indirectly.

In this two volume set, Toward Benevolent Neutrality presents the text of virtually every significant Supreme Court decision concerning religious freedom and separation of church and state. Also included are essays interpreting the historical background and legal issues involved in each case, beginning with the principal events leading to the adoption of the First Amendment.

"Toward Benevolent Neutrality" (5th edition, 1996), a longstanding favorite for professors of church-and-state relationships in the U.S., has been revised and updated by one original author, Robert B. Flowers, and two new ones, Melissa Rogers and Steven K. Green. "Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court" contains a new introduction clearly explaining specific ways the Court delineates the idea of religious freedom on a case-by-case basis. As clearly written as its predecessor, and as appropriate for the classroom, this new book contains explanations of more recent cases, decided by a contemporary Supreme Court. It is clear, relevant, and an essential text for the twenty-first century.