Religious Issues Within The Supreme Court
Authors
Friedman, Ellie
McVey, Sheppard
Kennedy, Sally
Issue Date
2024-04-26
Type
Poster
Language
en
Keywords
Scholarship Sewanee 2024 , University of the South , legal , religion , exemption
Alternative Title
Abstract
Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious group that was formed in the 1870s by Charles Taz Russell and continues to be active today. Their millennialism foundation believes in the second coming of Christ, and they seek to share their beliefs with all who are willing to listen. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that society would not be saved without intervention from the second coming of Christ. Many members’ beliefs and values have come into conflict with external factors such as the United States law. We are focusing on how Jehovah's Witnesses interact with the law within the 20th and 21st centuries in the United States, and how their religious beliefs interfere with expectations that are put upon American citizens. We are examining cases of how Jehovah’s Witnesses have acted on their religious beliefs and subsequently come into conflict with the law. How were Jehovah's Witnesses seen as “Un-American” and exempt from the law? Throughout this research project, we will explore three Supreme Court Cases that involve disputes between Jevohah’s Witnesses beliefs and the medical field, education, and property rights. These court cases include Hall vs. Commonwealth, West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette, and The People of the State of Illinois v. E.G., a Minor. By examining these court cases separately and then drawing on common themes, our sources will provide insight into how Jehovah’s Witnesses' beliefs adversely interact with outsiders' perspectives. Common themes we hope to further explore are religious freedom, freedom of speech, and individual versus state rights. This research is important because it examines the disconnect between new religious movements and the United States law. Researching Jehovah’s Witnesses specifically can illuminate themes that can be generalized to other religious movements to help us better understand these relationships.