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CHAPTER FIVE
Fundamental American Liberties
Take a Position
Read "Who Are We? Americans and Religion." As the feature makes clear, America is a religious nation. But, as is also evident from the chapter, many Americans believe strongly in a separation of church and state. These competing views can lead to serious conflicts over the role of religion in government.
Take a position: What role should religion play in government?
As you develop your argument, answer the following questions:
- What do supporters of religion in government (accommodationists) value? How do they view the world?
- What about those who believe in the separation of church and state (separationists)? Why do they disagree so strongly with the accommodationists? Why might separationists who also happen to be religious believe in the separation of church and state?
- How can we rectify the fact that America is a religious nation but one in which religion plays a limited role in government? Do we need to?
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