Which clause prohibits establishing a national religion?

• A. Establishment Clause
• B. Free Exercise Clause
• C. Due Process Clause
• D. Commerce Clause

Answer: (A)

The Establishment Clause sets the government apart from religion by forbidding laws that establish a national church or give preference to one faith. It means the government cannot create an official religion, fund religious institutions, or promote religion in a way that sidelines others, keeping state and church separate. The Free Exercise Clause protects individuals' rights to practice their religion freely, but it does not prohibit the government from staying neutral about religion or from not establishing a national church. The Due Process Clause and the Commerce Clause involve different protections—fair legal processes and the regulation of economic activity, respectively—so they don’t address establishing religion. Therefore, the clause that prohibits establishing a national religion is the Establishment Clause.