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by George J. Gatgounis (Author)
The American government is in a state of crisis--a crisis of integrity. Law is not what holds nations together; rather, cultural values and prevailing social conditions sustain an undergirding belief in the legitimacy of law. Moral and religious consensus must come before a legal order. This book discusses several cases of the erosion of credibility as examples--Gorbachev's failed attempt to modernize Russia, the deceptions of the Vietnam War, and the Iran-Contra arms scandal. Next comes a study of how civil religion and governmental integrity interplay. The final chapter is a well-documented historic overview and examination of the Supreme Court's challenging task of constitutionally defining religion, especially in cases of conscientious objections and religious exemptions to state mandates. The issues are timely, and Gatgounis is uniquely qualified to examine them as both a constitutional lawyer and religious scholar.
Author Biography
George J. Gatgounis, a Harvard alumnus, is a published author, trial attorney, ordained minister, and seminary professor. A member of the Harvard Faculty Club, he formerly served as one of the editors of the Harvard Civil Rights Law Review, and the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. As an active Harvard alumnus, he serves as the moderator of the Harvard Reading Club of Charleston, South Carolina. He serves at Cummins Seminary as Professor of Hebrew Bible, and Professor of Greek Septuagint (LXX), Greek New Testament, and Greek Classics. He is also a South Carolina Supreme Court certified civil court mediator, family court mediator, and civil arbitrator.
