Dr. John R. Vile is a professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University. He is the author and editor of numerous books on the US Constitution, the constitutional amending process, and related issues. His works include The Bible in American Law and Politics: A Reference Guide (2020) and Prayer in American Public Life: An Encyclopedia (2022). Vile is a coeditor and frequent contributor to the online First Amendment Encyclopedia.