The Washington Post: The new Supreme Court doctrine

The University of Cincinnati’s School of Public and International Affairs is widely known for having academic experts in all aspects of the political realm. Among the faculty experts is Andrew Lewis, an associate professor whose areas of expertise are conservative politics and religion and politics, with a focus on evangelical political engagement. His research engages the fields of political behavior, law and courts, interest groups, law and society, and religion and politics.

On Wednesday, July 7, 2022, Lewis wrote an article for The Washington Post’s Monkey Cage section, analyzing the Supreme Court’s recent First Amendment decisions dealing with religious liberty: Carson v. Makin, about whether Maine could refuse to fund religious schools, and Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, about whether a football coach could pray on the field after games.

Both decisions, Lewis states, show that “the conservative majority’s emphasis was clear. Concerns over establishing religion must not result in discrimination against religious adherents.”

Lewis contends that when the Supreme Court emphasizes protecting against religious discrimination, it is not only crafting legal doctrine. “The court’s rulings intersect with the political culture wars, and some members have clearly promoted one side in their public commentary.”

Lewis is a trusted media source and has been often citied in local, regional and national news.

Read the opinion/analysis article here. 

Featured photo of Supreme Court building at top courtesy of Unsplash.