Sincerely held : American secularism and its believers / Charles McCrary.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McCrary, Charles A. (Charles Alistair), 1990- author.

Series:

Class 200. New studies in religion.

Chicago scholarship online.

Class 200. New studies in religion

Chicago scholarship online

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Freedom of religion--United States.

Freedom of religion.

Religion and state--United States.

Religion and state.

Secularism--Government policy--United States.

Secularism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (309 pages)

Place of Publication:

Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, 2022.

Summary:

'Sincerely held religious belief' is now a common phrase in discussions of American religious freedom, from opinions handed down by the US Supreme Court to local controversies. The 'sincerity test' of religious belief has become a cornerstone of US jurisprudence, framing what counts as legitimate grounds for First Amendment claims in the eyes of the law. In this book, Charles McCrary provides an original account of how sincerely held religious belief became the primary standard for determining what legally counts as authentic religion. McCrary skillfully traces the interlocking histories of American sincerity, religion, and secularism starting in the mid-19th century.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: The Character of American Secularism

1 KNAVES, FOOLS, AND SINCERE BELIEVERS

2 SECULAR GOVERNANCE IN COLUMNS AND ROWS

3 TELLING FORTUNES

4 “RELIGIOUS TRAINING AND BELIEF”

5 SUPREME BEINGS AND THE SUPREME COURT

6 BELIEVING RELIGIOUSLY

7 TROUBLING SECULARISM

8 SINCERITY NOW

EPILOGUE: On Being Sincere

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

Notes:

Also issued in print: 2022.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (viewed on October 24, 2022).

ISBN:

9780226817941

0226817946

OCLC:

1296428041