Dickinson alumnus Reverend Barry Lynn ’70 presented the annual Winfield C. Cook Constitution Day Address in ATS, on Tuesday, September 6. The reverend’s lecture, titled “Celebrating a Dead Letter or a Living Document?” addressed issues of religious freedom and constitutional interpretation.

In his lecture, Lynn spoke on issues of religious freedom and the separation of church and state in the United States. He addressed several historical Supreme Court cases related to prayer in public schools and discussed several school voucher programs. As a staunch supporter of the separation of church and state, Lynn criticized the religious right for attempting to incorporate elements of Christian faith into public institutions.

Lynn finished his lecture by discussing the difference between constitutional originalism, the belief that the Constitution ought to be followed based on the intent of the framers, and living constitutionalism, which is the belief that the Constitution ought to be adaptable to changing circumstances. He stated that it is impossible to determine the intent of the Constitution’s framers and that many modern developments such as television and the Air Force are dealt with under the Constitution, even though they were not anticipated in the Constitution itself.

Approximately 100 students, faculty, and community members attended the lecture.

“It was interesting to hear a religious man advocating for separation of church and state… His seemingly conflicting interests made his views seem more legitimate,” said Rowan Humphries ’19, who attended the address.

Lynn is a renowned activist, lawyer, and an ordained minister for the United Church of Christ. He has been the executive director of Americans for the Separation of Church and State for 25 years. Previously, he worked for the United Church of Christ and the American Civil Liberties Union, hosted the cultural commentary radio show “Culture Shocks,” and appeared on a variety of television and radio programs including 60 minutes, Good Morning America, and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” He has received numerous awards including the Roosevelt Institute’s Freedom of Worship Award and Dickinson’s Professional Achievement Award.