Free Exercise and Individualized Exemptions: Herein of <i>Smith</i>, <i>Sherbert</i>, Hogwarts, and Religious Liberty

I. Introduction . . . . . 1179 II. The Transfiguration of Sherbert and Its Progeny . . . . . 1180 A. The Sherbert Line of Cases . . . . . 1180 B. The Transfiguration of Sherbert . . . . . 1184 C. A Categorical Rule: An Individualized Process for Allocating Governmental Benefits and Burdens Is Not Generally Applicable . . . . . 1186 III. Protecting Religious Liberty Under the Categorical Rule . . . . . 1190 A. Some Thoughtful Decisions . . . . . 1190 1. The Tenafly Eruv Case . . . . . 1190 2. The Case of the Acting Student Who Refused To Curse God . . . . . 1192 3. The Case of the College Freshman Who Wanted To Live Off Campus . . . . . 1194 4. The Case of the Native American Holy Man and His Black Bears . . . . . 1197 B. The Categorical Rule Applied . . . . . 1198 IV. Conclusion . . . . . 1202