“The Religious Foundations of Civil Rights Law” and the Study of Law and Religion in an Interdisciplinary Framework

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports … let it simply be asked where is the security for prosperity, for reputation, for life— if the sense of religious obligation desert … and let us with caution indulge the proposition that morality can be maintained without religion. George Washington—Farewell Address There is often a message in a title. The title chosen for the Symposium, “The Religious Foundations of Civil Rights Law,” is no exception. Though the initial impression of its meaning will vary in accordance with the interests of the individual reader, the basic message of the Symposium is a simple one: law and religion are fundamentally related.