Separation of Church and State
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…” (excerpt from Amendment I, U. S. Constitution)
If our United States Constitution actually commands Congress to protect the “free exercise [of religion]” and explicitly protects freedom of speech, how on earth did this phrase “separation of church and state” get such common usage? The phrase is not in the Constitution nor, according to the Congressional Record, was it ever even mentioned during the framing of that document in 1789.
The phrase is not Constitutional at all! It has been wrenched out of context from a private letter written in 1802, 11 years after the First Amendment was ratified. There was a widespread rumor going around at the time that one particular denomination was to become the official national religion. This concerned the other denominations a great deal since some had fled religious persecution by the official church of England. President Thomas Jefferson wrote to the concerned Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut assuring them that under the Constitution the federal government would not, and indeed could not, establish a national Christian denomination. In other words, the United States Congress could not legislate that all Americans had to be Lutherans, or Episcopalians, or Baptists, or whatever.
It is clear from Thomas Jefferson’s letter that the “wall of separation” he spoke of was to be one-directional. This wall was to keep government interference out of the church and out of believers’ lives. It was never meant to keep the church, or believers in Jesus Christ, out of the federal government, states, municipalities or schools. It certainly was never intended to mean that believers could not speak of their faith openly, or pray openly in Jesus’ Name at public events.
The historical record clearly shows the Founding Fathers of our country truly had freedom of religion in mind when they framed our Constitution. The courts, media and special interest groups have convinced the American people that we must have freedom from religion in the public square. Nothing is further from the truth.
As a nation, we have been increasing the judicial and public approval and practice of shedding innocent blood of the littlest human beings, flaunting all sorts of abominations and sexual sins, forsaking our marriage covenants, calling good evil and evil good, and now pushing even the mention of God’s Holy Name out of public life under the false guise of “separation of church and state.” Are we still arrogant enough to think that the Lord will rescue us from our enemies time and time again? Perhaps we are that arrogant. But, maybe we’ll be surprised some day to find that His patience has run out.
The prophet Isaiah says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” Are we willing to repent of our national sins and be forgiven and be spared God’s judgment?
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord…” (Isaiah 55: 6, 7a)
Separation of Church and State? Part Two
What do you hear in so many places around America when a student wants to pray in Jesus’ Name? “No way, Constitutional separation of church and state, you know.” What do you hear when a county wants to put a Nativity scene on their courthouse lawn at Christmas? “We can’t do that… Constitutional separation of church and state, after all.” What do you hear when a judge wants to post the Ten Commandments on his courtroom wall? “What?!? Everyone knows that the Constitutional separation of church and state prevents that.” Or does it? Just what “Constitutional separation of church and state” is being referred to here? This is usually said by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and People for the American Way (PAW), groups which many of us would argue are obstructing many of our civil liberties rather than protecting them and whose attitudes in many instances are more anti-American than American.
Now, having said all that, I dare you to find the phrase “separation of church and state” in our official United States Constitution. In fact, I dare you to find the words “separation” or “church” in the Constitution. “Religion” is referenced in the Constitution, Amendment 1. This is part of our Bill of Rights, which were immediately enacted to protect citizens from the government, not government from the citizens.
Let us quote this section for you. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
First, please notice the two emboldened phrases in the quote. Our Constitution actually commands that CONGRESS (not schools, not local governments, not even States) “shall make NO LAW…” Again, it doesn’t say anything about not praying, or speaking Jesus’ name, or having Christmas celebrations, or posting the Ten Commandments, but about making laws.
Second and most important, Congress as an arm of the federal government is Constitutionally and strictly forbidden from EVER preventing the free exercise of religion.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord… the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him.” (Psalm 12a, 18a)
Individually, and as a nation, we must give our God more than lip service. We must give Him the glory and honor due His Name. We must seek to obey the entirety of His Word. We must extend His grace and mercy to all, but never allow His justice and Truth to be compromised in our hearts or in our homes. May His Name be praised, and not profaned, in this country. Let us truly be “one nation, under God.”
