by Rayne Britt

Created on: June 13, 2008

Despite popular opinion, separation of church and state is not found in the constitution. (For those who knew that, please don't mock the people who didn't; I blame the schools.) The concept as we know it today originates from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist group in 1802. In many cultures before us, the leader of the state was also considered the religious leader. For example, the emperors of Rome were considered deity and were thus the religious leaders. The pharaohs of Egypt were considered gods or the messengers of the gods. There were many variations and deviations from this such as in Israel where the king was a separate office from the priesthood and had no authority in matters of worship though interferences did occur.

Many people see separation of church and state as an argument that the church cannot interfere with the state. Insofar as they cannot force the state to abide by their religion, that is true. Nor can they pass laws and judgments on people as lawmaking and enforcement are responsibilities of the government. But the members of any church of the United States are still citizens and therefore voters by which means they can influence the state with their beliefs by the ballot box.

In the context of Thomas Jefferson's letter, it is meant to provide assurance that the government cannot proclaim a church the official church of the country and establish it as America's one religion as other countries do such as many South American countries were Catholicism is the official religion or in Middle Eastern countries where Islam is the religion of the state. Furthermore the state and federal governments cannot prohibit worship or demand that it be done a certain way. Jefferson's letter states, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State". It does not protect the government from religion so much as it does religion from the government. Jefferson was saying that you can choose who, where, when, how and if you worship without government interference. As part of this religious freedom, the government cannot establish a singular religion for the entire nation nor can the church establish laws outside of their sphere (i.e., their congregation) or force upon the people as a whole their beliefs. They are free to discuss them but not to make people accept them.

In conclusion, I would like to say that as long as the wall stands, there is hope for America. If we try to tear it down or alter it in any way, the nation will only collapse under extremism and slavery.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separ ation_of_church_and_state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik i/Thomas_Jefferson#Separating_Church_and_State

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