This is the understanding of the principle of religious liberty, in its present American application, that this paper will spell out: Our American state is impartial toward, but respectful of, ultimate loyalty; it is impartial because it is respectful. Our state is and should be impartial as among the different ultimate beliefs in our society; none is preferred, none discouraged. The state itself is not committed; it is not a confessing state. The state as such is not officially Christian, nor religious, nor affirming belief in God. So far as state action officially is concerned, the United States is not what Will Herberg says it is, pro-religious (the people in general are to be sure, but not the official position of the state). In the broad statement of constitutional principle it is right to say, as the Everson-McCollum doctrine did (to the consternation of many) that the establishment clause of the First Amendment means there shall be no state aid to all religions; there shall be no nonpreferential aid to religion as such, or to religion in general. As an official line of general policy that is ruled out. Insofar as is possible in a real society, the state treats with even-handed equality religious and nonreligious positions— but with the qualification and interpretation, however, that I now want to add. The state is impartial with respect to ultimate beliefs not be cause it is entirely ignorant about and unimpressed with these, pursuing its secular goals without any reference to the religious or irreligious opinion of the people—but rather because it defers to the conscience of the people that it rules. Our state is respect ful of the dimension religion represents, deferring, as far as it can, to it, leaving it insofar as it can, free. Our state leaves re ligious matters aside, not because they are beneath or against its concern, but because they are above its concern. Our free state is a state that knows itself to be limited—indeed, our society is a society that knows itself to be limited—with respect to the ulti mate loyalties of the citizens. These arise from the free action of men and not from the direction of government or the official proc lamation of society. These arise from the hearts of the persons and not from official policy. Our state knows itself to be in