Robert L Cord relates a cogent history of America's religious tradition, demonstrating how current "establishment clause" jurisprudence would be unrecognizible to our Founders. Cord documents important, little know facts about church and state relations in early America. From Jefferson petitioning Congress for appropriations for Catholic priests to "convert the Indians," to Massachusetts having an established church until 1833, forty-four years after the ratification of the First Amendment,Cord, in an informative and enjoyable manner, proves conclusively that Christian principles and Civil government have always existed concomitantly in American life.

Covers legal, political, and historical trends of the varied Church/State relationships in the U.S. Easy to read and well documented. I did my honors thesis on Church/State relationships, and I wish I had read this first. It has an intelligent analysis that does not merely assume the modern conception and argue it, but considers many sides of the issues. A must for people who want to think these issues through.