The Child Cases: How America’s Religious Exemption Laws Harm Children
Rogers, Alan. The Child Cases: How America’s Religious Exemption Laws Harm Children. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2014.
Legal historian Rogers provides a close look at the “legal and constitutional struggle over whether a religious belief may trump a generally applicable and neutral law prohibiting child abuse and neglect” (5). The book constitutes a detailed narrative of the judicial history of families who endured the death of their children, while relying on Christian Science treatment rather than conventional medical treatment. He argues that “like the court, many Americans have concluded that a line must be imposed between religious belief and actions” (16), and while Christian Scientists are free to use prayer as a remedy for illness, “that right does not extend to parents whose conduct jeopardizes the life of a child” (17). Rogers concludes that “when legislators succumb to Christian Science lobbyists who advocate a special religious interest or who privilege harmful religious conduct, they are guilty of undermining the very religious freedom they claim to be protecting” (196).
ISBN-10: 1625340729
ISBN-13 (Softcover): 978-1625340726
See also annotations:
“Christian Science Healing in America” by Rennie B. Schoepflin
“Healing and Conscience in Christian Science” by Thomas C Johnsen
“Christian Science: A Comment” by Thomas C. Johnsen
“The Law and Christian Science Healing for Children: A Pathfinder” by Elena M. Kondos