Lead story

How Jefferson and Madison's partnership – a friendship told in letters – shaped America's separation of church and state

Editor's note:

Several states are testing boundaries between religion and government – including Oklahoma, whose superintendent recently ordered public schools to teach the Bible.

The First Amendment forbids Congress from making laws “respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Traditionally, most scholars interpreted that to mean there must be a separation of church and state – helping to ensure religious freedom for all Americans, no matter their creed.

But the phrase “separation of church and state” doesn’t appear in the Constitution. It comes from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson – who, along with James Madison, strongly shaped American ideas about religious liberty. And in recent decades, the idea has come under increasing attack from politicians and activists eager to give Christianity a bigger role in government.

Law professor Steven Green pored through more than 2,000 letters between the two, trying to understand their views of religious freedom – and why they cared about it so much.

Meanwhile, Mark Satta, an expert on the First Amendment, breaks down precedent around using the Bible in school – and how Oklahoma’s mandate likely blurs the boundaries.

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Commentary and Analysis

Oklahoma's superintendent orders public schools to teach the Bible – relying on controversial views about religious freedom

State superintendent Ryan Walters has mandated that public school teachers incorporate the Bible into classroom lessons. By Mark Satta for The Conversation

Those Columbia deans deserved their removals. But what’s next?

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Hajj in extraordinary heat: what a scholar of Islam saw in Mecca

Despite reports of mismanagement, the 2024 Hajj brought together pilgrims of diverse backgrounds from 180 countries. By Ahmet T. Kuru for The Conversation

At the Olympics, athletes show guts, glory – and a lot of ink, including tattoos that profess their faith

One biblical verse bans tattoos, but the full story of Christianity's relationship with body modification is more complicated. By Gustavo Morello for The Conversation

Photos of the Week: Stampede in India, Bulgarian Patriarch

Newly elected Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil blesses the people during his enthronement ceremony at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Bulgaria's Orthodox Church on Sunday elected Daniil, a 52-year-old metropolitan considered to be pro-Russian, as its new leader in a disputed vote that reflects the divisions in the church and in the society. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)

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