Innes argues that ‘government must . . provide and protect the conditions for religious observance, not force observance, much less coerce any profession of faith.”
In a 1000-1500 word paper (not including references), answer these questions:
A. What is meant by the obligation to ‘provide and protect. . . but not to force observance or coerce?” and how does this obligation relate to the notion of Separation of Church and State, as instituted in the United States?
B. What SPECIFIC challenges are presented in meeting this obligation within the American pluralist system — both historically and in the present day?
C. What specific obligations and challenges do governments and government officials encounter in protecting the conditions for religious observance? List and explain three specific challenges from your reading of Goodrich.
Your paper should include at least five APA-style citations and references from both your texts (Innes and Goodrich in this case) as well as five citations from primary sources (i.e. Martin Luther, Aquinas, Roger Williams, etc. )
Here, make sure you are using language like “As Innes has argued . .. ” to indicate that you are aware you are citing someone’s opinion. It is appropriate to write “There are fifty states (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, p. 126)” because this is a fact. It is NOT appropriate to write “The American experiment has largely been a failure when it comes to providing religious rights (Innes, 2019, p. 27)” since the first is merely a FACT, but the second is an opinion.
That is, do not merely cite authors’ opinions as facts by citing a page number, but rather introduce the author’s argument and use language which indicates whether you agree or disagree with it (i.e. “While Innes CLAIMS . . . ., Wilberforce makes an opposing argument …”)
READINGS:
1. Luke Goodrich. Free to Believe: The Battle Over Religious Liberty in America
2. Innes, Chapter 5
3. Augustine, City of God, p. 8: Book XV, Chapter 4 – of the conflict and peace of the earthly city; Book XIX, Chapter 14 – of the order and law which obtain in heaven and earth (p.9); City of God., Book IV, Chapter 4 (p.11) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120115.htm
