ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice 2d ago

As the Section celebrates its 60th anniversary, Professor Douglas Laycock joins Richard Foltin to examine how church–state law has evolved since the Section's founding in 1966. The discussion traces the development of Establishment Clause and Free Exercise jurisprudence through landmark Supreme Court decisions, explores the rise and decline of influential legal tests, and considers how shifting social, political, and constitutional perspectives continue to shape religious liberty in the United States. Douglas Laycock – Robert E. Scott Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Virginia School of Law; Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law and Professor Emeritus, The University of Texas School of Law Richard T. Foltin – Fellow for Religious Freedom, Freedom Forum; Special Counsel, ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice; Co-Chair, ABA CRSJ Religious Freedom Committee -- During the 2025–26 Bar Year, Section Chair Mario A. Sullivan continues CRSJ’s Chair Chat – bringing together leading lawyers, scholars, advocates, and organizers to tackle the most urgent civil rights and rule-of-law issues and share practical strategies for impact. New episodes premiere every other Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET on our YouTube channel. Subscribe for updates and catch past conversations on-demand. Learn more about CRSJ Chair Chat: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/resources/on-demand/chair-chat/