“The Crumbling Wall of Separation Between Church and State” by Daan Bravemen

“The Crumbling Wall of Separation Between Church and State” will be presented by Daan Braveman at the Sunday, October 15, 2023 meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, 2:30 – 4:00 pm at 227 Edgewood Rd, Asheville, NC. This will be a hybrid meeting, in-person and also available for interactive conversation by Zoom. All are welcome to attend.

Thomas Jefferson referred to the First Amendment as creating a “wall of separation” between church and state, and the Supreme Court stated in 1947 that “the wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.” In fact, the wall always had some cracks. In recent years, however, it appears to be crumbling as increased emphasis is being given to governmental accommodation of religious beliefs.  When does such accommodation weaken the wall separating church and state? More generally, what is the appropriate role of religion in the public arena?

Daan Braveman, President Emeritus of Nazareth College and former Dean of Syracuse University College of Law spoke to the Ethical Humanist Society of Rochester on this topic on October 11, 2023. Daan gave us permission to use the edited video as the basis for understanding the issues and adding to the discussion that took place at the Rochester meeting.