Marci A. Hamilton

About the Author

Marci A. Hamilton is a distinguished legal scholar and advocate for the separation of church and state, with a career spanning academia, litigation, and public commentary. Holding a J.D. from Yale Law School and a Ph.D. in American constitutional history from the University of Virginia, she has served as a professor at institutions including Cardozo School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania. Hamilton's work critically examines the tensions between religious freedom and civil liberties, challenging the overreach of extreme religious liberty claims in American jurisprudence. Her influential book, God vs. the Gavel: The Perils of Extreme Religious Liberty, exposes the dangers of unchecked religious exemptions that undermine public safety and equality. Through her writings and advocacy, Hamilton continues to shape debates on constitutional law, urging a balanced approach that protects both faith and fundamental rights.