Situating Ourselves in History
9 Pages Posted: 27 Feb 2015
Date Written: 2014
Abstract
This short essay responds to comments on a chapter of my book The Rise and Decline of American Religious Freedom written by Professors Andrew Koppelman, Paul Horwitz, and Nelson Tebbe and published in the Pepperdine Law Review. The essay suggests that whether one responds to the current controversy over religious freedom optimistically, pessimistically, or complacently may depend upon the background historical narrative within which works. A “progressive” narrative may support optimism or complacency, but a different narrative (such as the decline narrative given by the eminent historian Jacques Barzun) may provoke a less optimistic reaction.
Keywords: religion, religious freedom, history, constitutonal law
JEL Classification: K10
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation