Separation of Church and State

Sabbath Laws: Index

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Should the government try to keep certain businesses and activities "off limits" on the sabbath of any particular religion? Is there a "secular purpose" to mandating one particular day off which just "happens" to be the sabbath of the country's dominant religion?

What is a "Sabbath"
Glossary entery on "Sabbath": what is it and where does the word come from?

What is a "Sabbatarianism"
Glossary entery on "Sabbatarianism": what is it and what are its goals?

Sabbath Laws: Origins
Where did the Sabbath Laws come from, how have they been enforced, and what sorts of legal challenges were made against them?

Sabbath Laws: Resurrection
How are some religious leaders attempting to resurrect restrictive Sabbath Laws for the general public? What sorts of arguments have they used, and what might that ultimately mean for people?

Court Cases

McGowan v. Maryland (1961)
The Court ruled that Maryland's Sunday closing laws had evolved into furthering secular ends and therefore did not violate the Establishment Clause.

Braunfeld v. Brown (1961)
An Orthodox Jew challenged Pennsylvania's blue laws, but by a 6-3 vote, with Chief Justice Warren writing the majority opinion, the Supreme Court declared them constitutional.

Arlan's Department Store v. Kentucky (1962)
Supreme Court dismissing a case as not having any serious questions for them. Kentucky's mandatory Sunday closing laws had been found by a lower court not to be an establishment of Christianity and, hence, not a violation of the Establishment Clause.

Estate of Thornton v. Caldor (1985)
The Court ruled 8-1 that Connecticut's law requiring that employers give all employees the day off if it was their chosen day of worship was unconstitutional because it had a direct effect of advancing a particular religious practice.

Glossary: Religion & Philosophy
This extensive glossary provides detailed information on philosophical and religious concepts, from abandonment to Zeno of Elea! (over 2400 entries total)