If you ask a random person on the street what the First Amendment is all about, he or she is likely to say something about freedom of speech. These freedoms are part of our core national political beliefs.
Yet the very first words of the amendment address something that frequently seems beyond the core of political life: The state's attitude toward religion.
Perhaps the dual nature of the amendment — "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" — makes it difficult to grasp the appropriate role of religion in public life.
But if an impressive group of scholars and religionists have their way, there will one day be a National Museum of American Religion to "tell the story of religion in America through the lens of religious liberty." On Monday, the group launches a campaign onIndiegogo to crowdfund a study that could lead to such a museum.
The First Amendment, as popularly understood, is continually celebrated by journalists and politicians. In Washington, it is commemorated with a privately-funded museum, the Newseum, on Pennsylvania Avenue. It's within shouting distance of the National Mall and the Smithsonian Institution.
These publicly-funded Smithsonian museums address so many aspects of national culture: Art, aviation, history, science, technology. Yet the absence of any extended treatment of religion has, for some, been jarring.
"Most Americans know that religion has been the greatest driver of American events from the beginning," says Christopher Stevenson, who has labored five years to create the museum — and expects to be at it for another decade.
"There are beautiful stories in these museums. But this most important part of the American pie is absolutely missing, and that is a jarring contradiction," says Stevenson, who founded America's Quilt of Faith, a group that helps organizations appreciate the diversity of faith-communities throughout the nation.
Stevenson, a member of the museum's board of directors, said that the National Museum of American Religion can only fulfill its aspirations if it is comprehensive, if it presents both the virtues and flaws from religion and if it reaches beyond a single denomination. Even the many-faceted, historically-dominant faith community known as Christianity would be too limiting.
The group's governing and advisory boards includes such prominent scholars and religious leaders as Robert Wilson-Black, CEO of Sojourners; Thomas Farr of Georgetown University; David Gelernter of Yale University; Robert George of Princeton University; Dr. Zuhdi Jasser of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and many others.
In bringing such a wide-ranging coalition together, said Stevenson, "We feel those tugs and pulls from the right and left. Some want the museum to declare this a Christian nation; while other insist that we declare a separation of church and state."
Neither is correct.
Indeed, in barring an "establishment" of religion while insuring a "free exercise of religion," the framers of the First Amendment did something truly unique in political philosophy — they ensured a vibrant role for faith in society without creating a government-supported religion.
This insight is not new. Indeed, it has been noted for centuries.
As Alexis de Tocqueville wrote: “In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom pursuing courses diametrically opposed to each other; but in America I found that they were intimately united, and that they reigned in common over the same country.”
“Religion in America takes no direct part in the government of society, but it must nevertheless be regarded as the foremost of the political institutions of that country.”
Yet modern secularists sometime insist on reading the establishment clause but the not the free exercise clause — and vice-versa for modern fundamentalists.
Take the recent controversy about discussion regarding the suitability of an Islamic candidate for president. Having a National Museum of American Religion could help the public process these controversies. It would be “a place where visitors from children to adults can reflect upon and come to understand the role of religion in America," said Wilson-Black.
Yet while the museum has a vision and a plan, it is lacking funding and a building.
By contrast, the forthcoming Museum of the Bible is a privately-funded effort of the Green family of Hobby Lobby. Its building is under construction near the National Mall, and is set to open in the fall of 2017. This could crowd out some of the mental space that the National Museum of American Religion hopes to occupy.
"A museum dedicated to the Bible or to the Koran is important, but it is only one piece of religion," said Wilson-Black.
Adds Stevenson: Our nation's "long history of religious liberty has created something that can be called 'American Religion.'" This creed emphasizes the respect that our nation accords deeply-felt religious faith — of whatever sort it may be.
Drew Clark is of counsel at the law firm of Kirton McConkie, where he deals with technology, media and telecommunications. Connect on Twitter @drewclark or via email at drewclark@kmclaw.com