CHURCH AND STATE

In the ``Issue and Debate'' series, a summary of the history of the legal separation decreed in the Bill of Rights, as well as an exploration of the its present status—and the political, moral, and social effects of the continuing negotiation over its often elusive boundary. Going beyond events to elucidate philosophical concepts (e.g., the difference between tolerance, with its tinge of condescension, and freedom) and to present many of the dilemmas posed by irreconcilable beliefs, Gay uses specific cases, usually important landmarks, as the basis of her well-organized narrative, maintaining a fair, balanced tone while clarifying the considerable complexities. A fine resource that also uses its immediate subject to exemplify the development of our constitutional law. B&w photos and archival materials; notes; index. (Nonfiction. 11+)