Read the First Amendment Center’s article on the free exercise clause, which includes a discussion of how Employment Division v. Smith, the 1990 peyote case, changed the legal precedent for religious groups whose practices conflict with state law.

Read the First Amendment Center’s resource page on Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao Do Vegetal. It includes amicus briefs filed for both sides of the case.

The UDV religion in the United States has a website with resources for covering the case, including a FAQ and background links.

A 2000 poll from People for the American Way found that 66 percent of respondents say the issue of whether to teach evolution in public schools is too important to leave to individual localities to decide and say they favor a national approach.

Read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on the ruling against ‘intelligent design’ in science class.

Read a New York Times story on the federal judge’s ruling of ‘intelligent design’ as “unconstitutional” to be taught in high school science classes due to it’s connection to “a particular version of christianity.”

Read an Associated Press article about Judge John E. Jones’ decision to ban ‘intelligent design’ from the school’s biology curriculum.

Erik P. Goldschmidt is director of the Church in the 21st Century Initiative at Boston College. Its research includes the state of Catholic ministry in America.

Read the Fordham Foundation’s 2000 report “Good Science, Bad Science: Teaching Evolution in the States,” which includes a state-by-state grading of science education in the public schools.