Supreme Court in the spotlight

UMass Press book provides analyses of new justices to the High Court

Recent high-profile television interviews by Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas have brought a new public persona to the traditionally insular High Court. Although such appearances provide tantalizing glimpses into the personalities of individuals on the Court, they provide little in the way of understanding the justices’ legal processes and reasoning.

The new University of Massachusetts Press book, Religious Liberty in America: The First Amendment in Historical and Contemporary Perspective by Bruce T. Murray, explores the Supreme Court’s evolution in its interpretation of the First Amendment for the past 200-plus years. The book places particular emphasis on the current configuration of the Court and provides analyses of its newest members, John Roberts and Sam Alito.

Murray’s book further surveys the development of religious pluralism in America for the past 400 years – from early colonial times to present controversies, such as the mixing of religion and politics, battles over religious symbols in the public square, the “culture wars,” immigration and faith-based initiatives.

Religious Liberty in America was selected by Choice – a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries – as an “Outstanding Academic Book.” It has received favorable reviews in numerous other publications, including most recently the Catholic Historical Review:

“This concise and readable book discusses topics relating to the religion clauses of the First Amendment and, more generally, to the interaction of religion and politics in the United States. ... It is a highly accessible introduction to the topics it addresses, complete with references for documentation or further reading. ... The book is well written, engaging, and balanced in its presentations of competing views.”
— Daniel O. Conkle, Professor of Law and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University (from the July, 2009 issue of the Catholic Historical Review).

Purchase Religious Liberty in America on the University of Massachusetts Press Web site.

You may find out more about the author here.