The Secular Purpose of Displaying the Crèche: Lynch v. Donnelly 1984
The Secular Purpose of Pawtucket's Display
The narrow question is whether there is a secular purpose for Pawtucket's display of the crèche. The display is sponsored by the city to celebrate the Holiday and to depict the origins of that Holiday. These are legitimate secular purposes. -Chief Justice Warren Burger, Opinion of the Court, Lynch v. Donnelly 1984
According to the reading, what were the city’s secular purposes for displaying the crèche? Check all that apply.
- A) to promote the Christian religion
- B) to celebrate the holiday
- C) to encourage the celebration of Christmas
- D) to show how the holiday started
- E) to act as a place for prayer
The correct answers are B) to celebrate the holiday and D) to show how the holiday started.
According to the reading, the city’s secular purposes for displaying the crèche was to celebrate the holiday and to show how the holiday started.
We are talking about the Supreme Court Case Lynch v. Donnelly that was decided on May 5, 1984. The Supreme Court decided that having placed a nativity crib in the building did not violate the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. The decision was divided 5-4, and the Court considered that the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, was not promoting any religious belief.
According to the reading, what were the city’s secular purposes for displaying the crèche?
The city’s secular purposes for displaying the crèche were to celebrate the holiday and to show how the holiday started.