The theologian Reinhold Niebuhr observed that the Engel decision "practically suppresses all religion, especially in the public schools." Engel and other cases did more than anything else over time to arouse the religious Right from its political quietism. Other Americans, too, thought that the justices had lost their minds.20
Reinhold Niebuhr criticized the Engel decision, claiming it effectively suppresses religious expression, particularly in public schools. This ruling, along with similar cases, greatly impacted the presence of religion in American public life.
These decisions unintentionally energized the religious Right, awakening it from political inactivity. Many Americans felt that the Supreme Court Justice's actions were irrational, contributing to a shift in the cultural and political landscape during that era.
