God vs. The Gavel

Religion and the law don’t always mix

When female employees are denied contraceptive coverage on religious grounds, the door to discrimination is opened—making the issue at the center of this spring’s Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby a key example of the dangerous modern trend of extreme religious liberty.

Leading constitutional law expert Marci A. Hamilton addresses today’s contraceptive controversy and more in God vs. the Gavel. In this fully updated second edition, Hamilton tackles issues that test the boundaries of religious freedom in America, as religious actors are empowered to break the law at will. These include

-Discrimination against same-sex couples
-Clergy child abuse cover-ups and the mistreatment of children
-The permissibility of polygamy
-The saturation of the drug market with narcotics, like peyote, allowed to religious groups
-Debates over medical care, including faith healing, vaccinations, and access to contraceptives

Including a discussion of this spring’s Hobby Lobby decision and its implication for religious rights in America, this new edition of a constitutional law classic puts today’s hot-button church-state controversies in the spotlight and explains the dangers we face when we allow religious freedom to trump our most basic laws.