Free Symposium Examines Religion And The Social Order Three Experts To Speak At Met Tonight

The U.S. Supreme Court is tearing down the wall of separation between church and state, one court watcher says.

Jesse H. Choper will say whether he thinks that’s a good idea tonight during a free symposium at The Met in downtown Spokane.

Choper, a professor of public law at the University of California-Berkeley, will lead a public symposium titled “Religion and the Social Order.”

Two local commentators, Gonzaga Associate Law Professor Robert Araujo and Eastern Washington University Humanities Professor Adam Raley, will join him on stage for the discussion. The public will have ample opportunity for input.

The event is part of the annual summertime public affairs symposium sponsored by Eastern Washington University.

Part two of the event is a day-long session Sept. 16 at Gonzaga University, where constitutional scholars will discuss the role of religion in society from social, legal and political perspectives.

“Given what’s evolved in this area, we thought the topic would be timely,” said George Durrie, who organized the symposium for Eastern.

“We are increasingly seeing more vocal and more prominent religious movements.”

The Sept. 16 forum also is free to the public.

In tonight’s address, Choper will use several recent Supreme Court decisions to demonstrate how the division between Christian religions and the government is slowly eroding.

That is a good thing in the eyes of many religious figures in America, he said.

It’s bad news for people whose beliefs fall outside the mainstream, like those who practice traditional Native American beliefs, Choper said.

“The changing personnel of the court has resulted in this theme,” he said.

GU’s Araujo said he agrees the face of the Supreme Court has changed dramatically, but it is hard to predict in what direction it is headed.

“I think the cases that have been decided in the last couple of years go in all different directions,” said Araujo, who is also a priest. “But I don’t see any trends.”

The nine justices don’t try as hard as past panels to reach a consensus, he said.

Many controversial decisions - not just on religious issues - are handed down with a vote of 5-4, Araujo said.

In addition to building a consensus, he said the justices should be working on better standards for interpreting the constitutional clauses granting religious freedom and preventing the government from establishing an official religion.

“A bottom line is just what does our federal Constitution and state Constitution say about our rights,” Araujo said.

“Sometimes they really don’t say anything, and we have to fill in those gaps. Sometimes the courts can do that, but sometimes the legislatures would be a better place to fill in those gaps.”

The symposium begins at 7 p.m. For more information, call Eastern Washington University at 359-4222.

, DataTimes