Christian Education and the US Supreme Court

Christ the Center

In this episode, we are joined by Jeffrey C. Tuomala, Professor of Law at Liberty University, to examine two landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions in light of two articles by Ned Stonehouse. Professor Tuomala, with his deep commitment to restoring the moral foundations of law, will offer his legal expertise to comment on Stonehouse’s reflections regarding McCollum v. Board of Education and Everson v. Board of Education. These cases addressed the relationship between church and state, religious education, and the issue of secularism in public schools.

We explore the deeper issues Stonehouse raised, such as the dangers of secularism in public education, the role of Christian education, and the balance between religious liberty and state control. Professor Tuomala provides a thoughtful legal and moral analysis of how these cases continue to influence contemporary debates about faith, law, and education in America. This conversation is a rich discussion on the intersection of theology, law, and Christian education in the modern world. Listen for a compelling exploration of these pivotal court decisions and their ongoing impact on religious freedom and Christian education.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:08:49 Ned Stonehouse’s Comments on Two SCOTUS Decisions
• 00:14:00 The Context of SCOTUS during the 1940s
• 00:17:09 Everson v. Board of Education
• 00:19:13 Thinking Critically and Defining Terms
• 00:25:23 Religion, Secularism, and Neutrality
• 00:38:53 Rethinking the State’s Relation to Education
• 00:51:04 Vouchers for Private Education
• 00:58:28 Improving Stonehouse’s Case
• 01:02:59 Resources for Going Deeper
• 01:06:03 Conclusion

Articles

• Ned B. Stonehouse, “A Differing Opinion on the School Bus Issue,” The Presbyterian Guardian 16, no. 6 (March 25, 1947): 83–84.
• Ned B. Stonehouse, “Whither Religious Education?,” The Presbyterian Guardian 17, no. 9 (May 25, 1948): 99.
• Jeffrey C. Tuomala (2024) “Is Tax-Funded Education Unconstitutional?,” Liberty University Law Review: Vol. 18: Iss. 4, Article 6.

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jeff Tuomala