Feb. 27, 2008
Contact Msgr. Bernard McGarty at 608-796-3788
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE LECTURE AT VITERBO MARCH 12
LA CROSSE, Wis. – Separation of church and state has been a crucial component of American government since the founding of the United States of America over 200 years ago. This complex and sometimes divisive issue will be the subject of a presentation entitled “Separation of Church and State” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 in the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
Joe Heim, a professor of political science and public administration at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will join Msgr. Bernard McGarty, the Visiting Scholar of Ecumenical Studies at Viterbo University in giving the lecture, which is free and open to the public.
Heim is a familiar face in the area and a frequent political media commentator. Similarly, Msgr. McGarty has a gained a reputation for his talks on religious topics that are pertinent to both historical and modern times.
The lecture will answer questions such as, “What did our founders really intend? How have we as a nation agreed and disagreed? What are some major historical and modern-day interpretations of this principal?”
“The separation of church and state uniquely defines our American form of democracy and is guaranteed by our constitution,” Msgr. McGarty said. “That’s why it’s so important to approach the issue historically—clarifying what our founders’ originally intended, while understanding the tensions and influences resulting from modern interpretations.”