Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
Legal scholars and experts recently gathered at a symposium co-hosted by the Mattone Center for Law and Religion and Journal of Catholic Legal Studies to delve into the U.S. Supreme Court case on public school prayer, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.
During the event, Notre Dame Law Professor Stephanie Barclay examined the Court's use of history and tradition in the case, highlighting how historical analogies helped the Court steer clear of abstract interpretations that could stray from the original intent of the Establishment Clause. According to Barclay, this approach allowed the Court to avoid getting entangled in high-level abstractions regarding coercion.
Marc DeGirolami, a professor at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, also weighed in on the Court's use of tradition in the context of the Religion Clauses and constitutional theory. He discussed the components of traditionalism and the challenges it presents to interpretation.
Reflecting on the symposium, Jack Bilbrough '24, the Symposium Editor for the Journal of Catholic Legal Studies, expressed gratitude for the collaboration, stating, “We're so grateful to all who participated in this collaboration between the student-run JCLS and the newly-renamed Mattone Center for Law and Religion."
JCLS Editor-in-Chief Patrick McKelvey '24 added, “It was a very enriching experience to have panelists, faculty, students, and alumni come together to explore this important topic at the crossroads of law and religion."
The symposium, which attracted a 90-person audience, sparked engaging discussions on the case's implications for the intersection of law and religion in the United States.
Established in 2010, the Mattone Center for Law and Religion at St. John’s Law serves as a platform for studying law and religion from various perspectives, including domestic, international, and comparative angles. The Center also oversees the Law School’s law and religion curriculum and hosts the Law and Religion Forum, a blog focusing on recent law and religion scholarship and news, as well as Legal Spirits, a podcast series addressing law and religion issues in the courts.
The Journal of Catholic Legal Studies, operated by students in association with the St. John's Law Review, is a scholarly publication dedicated to exploring the intersections of law and religion, particularly in the context of Catholicism.
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