Which case established the Lemon test to assess Establishment Clause concerns?

• A. Reynolds v. United States (1879)
• B. Cantwell v. Connecticut (1940)
• C. Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)
• D. School District of Abington Township v. Schempp (1963)

Answer: (C)

Establishment Clause analysis focuses on whether government action endorses or entangles religion, and Lemon v. Kurtzman framed that inquiry with a clear standard. This 1971 decision established a three-part test: the action must have a secular purpose; its principal or primary effect must neither advance nor inhibit religion; and it must avoid excessive entanglement of government with religion. This framework was created to evaluate laws and programs that fund or support religious activities, such as parochial schools. The other cases listed involve related First Amendment questions—free exercise or Establishment issues in different contexts—but they did not establish this test.