The Establishment Clause

Pulitzer Prize-winner Levy examines the circumstances that led to the writing of the establishment clause of the First Amendement--"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"--and argues that, contrary to popular belief, the framers of the Constitution intended to prohibit government aid to religion even on an impartial basis. He thus refutes the view of "non-preferentialists", who interpret the clause as allowing such aid provided that the assistance is not restricted to a preferred church.