The presentation begins in 1680 with the Divine Right of Kings and shows how thinkers at the time evolved the idea of separation of church and state. We then look at how the Founding Fathers adopted this idea and incorporated it in our Constitution. We look at court decisions over a long period of time and how they supported the concept of separation. We conclude with a look at how recent legal actions and court decisions have eroded separation and how this impacts our education, healthcare, and civil rights.

Moderator: Jay Avner represents Congregation Beth Adam's Social Justice committee, which has been studying and educating about this issue for the past several years.