Final answer:
The Sherbert Test is used to assess if a law infringes on the Free Exercise Clause, requiring a balance between individual religious rights and compelling governmental interests.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sherbert Test and the Free Exercise Clause
The Sherbert Test stems from the 1963 Supreme Court case of Sherbert vs. Verner, providing a framework to decide if a law violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. According to this test, a person claiming their free exercise rights have been violated must show that their religious practice is sincerely held and that the government's action is a substantial burden on the practice. The government must then demonstrate a compelling governmental interest and ensure that the law in question is the least restrictive means of achieving that interest.
Since its inception, the Sherbert Test has influenced the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and state RFRAs, integrating the compelling interest standard into state law. It underscores the importance the Supreme Court places on individual rights, particularly in the delicate balance between public interest and religious liberty. Notably, the Free Exercise Clause protects not just the belief in religious principles but also the expression of those beliefs through practices, posing challenges when laws neutrally affecting the population might burden specific religious practices.
Through legislative and judicial dialogue, the application of the Sherbert Test and the Free Exercise Clause remains a cornerstone in safeguarding religious practices against governmental intrusion, provided the practices do not unduly harm society or other individuals.