Between Church and State: Religion and Public Education in a Multicultural America

Fraser has done a thoughtful job of researching and writing this excellent text on the history of religion and education in America. The whole "church and state" debate is not all the media cracks it up to be, and here Fraser looks simply at the historical facts: a great read for any educator, home-schooler or anyone interested in "church and state" issues in our nation's history.

James W. Fraser, now Dean of the School of Education at Northeastern University in Boston, details for the reader a fascinating history of the issue of church and state in public education in the United States, all the way back to our country's origins, and how the issue has come to be polarized with those who want absolutely no influence of religion whatsoever in both education and the public square at one end of the spectrum and those who would seemingly like to see Christianity, conservative Christianity with all its secular and nationalistic aspects, as the dominating, or only religious influence, at the other end.Fraser makes the case for a middle ground, the allowing of religious expression through its students, regardless of their individual religion, and an equal respect for all by all participants. Respect for all would be expected from the educators as well.The history of the issue will come as much of a surprise to those at either end of the spectrum as the resulting simplicity and validity of the suggested solution. Since Fraser as a clergyman or former clergyman probably stands to the Liberal end of the theological spectrum, and thus would be historically placed at one end of the argument, and your reviewer as a clergyman stands to the so-called evangelical right, or other end, I would like to heartily reccomend both his book and his conclusions.The book deserves wide reading by those on both sides of the issue. Especially those with the loudest rhetoric. Then maybe we can find the middle ground Fraser suggests, and with the respect that all deserve.