Difference between revisions of "Separation of church and state"

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[[Category:Concepts]]"The [[separation of church and state]] is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. The concept has long been a topic of political debate throughout history." -- {{wpref|separation of church and state}}
 
[[Category:Concepts]]"The [[separation of church and state]] is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. The concept has long been a topic of political debate throughout history." -- {{wpref|separation of church and state}}
 
===United States===
 
===United States===
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This separation has become of particular interest lately in the {{USA}}, in that there has been a strong cultural movement to "include [the [[Christian]]] [[God]]" in daily life, and to "put God back" into various arenas from which [[religion]] had generally been excluded.
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This separation has grown into a significant ongoing issue in the {{USA}}.
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====The Constitution====
 
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In the {{USA}}, the [[separation of church and state]] is spelled out in the [[wikipedia:First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment to the United States Constitution]], which prohibits the Federal legislature from making laws that:
 
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* '''Establish a state religion or prefer certain religion''' (the "Establishment Clause");
 
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* '''Prohibit free exercise of religion''' (the "Free Exercise Clause");
 
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* '''Infringe the freedom of speech''';
 
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* Infringe the freedom of the press;
 
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* Limit the right to assemble peaceably;
 
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* Limit the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
 
  
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There are some areas where such separation is apparently ignored by tradition:
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On one side is the "[[wikipedia:Establishment Clause of the First Amendment|Establishment Clause]]" of the [[US Constitution]]'s First Amendment which states that "[[US Congress|Congress]] shall make no law respecting an establishment of [[religion]]". While somewhat ambiguously worded, this has been generally taken to mean that the government may not take any actions that deliberately favor one religion over another.
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* By law, the country's currency now carries the motto "In God We Trust." ''(Need source: what law?)''
 
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* Congress begins its sessions with a prayer.
 
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* The words "under God" were, by law, added to the customary United States Pledge of Allegiance (on Flag Day in 1954).
 
  
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There is obviously a vague area where "free excercise of religion" and "freedom of speech" come into contact with preventing the state from establishing or sanctioning a religion: a state-salaried teacher or principal (for example) arguably represents the voice of the state, which must be restrained by the establishment clause, but the same person is also an individual and has the rights of free speech and free excercise.
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On the other side, there has been a strong, generally [[authoritarian]] cultural movement to "include [the [[Christian]]] [[God]]" in daily life, and to "put God back" into various arenas from which [[religion]] had generally been excluded. Supporters, especially on the [[religious right]], claim that the [[US is a Christian nation]], often backing up this claim with [[revisionist history]] and quotes from early US historical documents taken out of context.
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====Other Sources====
 
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The 1796 [[wikipedia:Treaty with Tripoli (1796)|Treaty with Tripoli]] includes the statement that "...the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion". It is sometimes argued that this provision is confirmation that the government of the United States was specifically intended to be religiously neutral, or that the United States is not historically "[[Christian]]", although there is apparently disagreement on this point.
 
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====notes====
 
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Part of the problem with "including God" is that, while it includes the vast majority of religions present in the {{USA}}, which are mainly branches of Judeo-Christianity (or, more technically, [[wikipedia:Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic religion]]s), it ''does'' exclude some of them, and is therefore arguably "preferring a certain religion". It also specifically excludes atheists and agnostics, who are now much greater in number than they were at the time of the First Amendment and sometimes feel threatened or coerced by official sanction of ''any'' ideas whose sole justification is found within religious doctrine.
 
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Need to find some specifics about the battles over displaying the [[Ten Commandments]] in (or outside of) court.
 
  
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Some resultant issues include [[prayer in public schools]] and the wording of [[The Pledge of Allegiance]].
 
==Points for Discussion==
 
==Points for Discussion==
 
* How is it bad if God is excluded? How is it bad if God is included? Does "including God" include all religions, or are some disqualified as being pagan, heathen, etc.?
 
* How is it bad if God is excluded? How is it bad if God is included? Does "including God" include all religions, or are some disqualified as being pagan, heathen, etc.?
 
* Why should an atheist feel excluded, or even threatened, when God is mentioned? ''(see {{talkpage}} for more)''
 
* Why should an atheist feel excluded, or even threatened, when God is mentioned? ''(see {{talkpage}} for more)''
 
==Related Pages==
 
==Related Pages==
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* [[Prayer in public schools]] is an [[issue]] in the {{USA}} in part because it encroaches upon [[separation of church and state]].
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* It is often claimed that the [[US is a Christian nation]], and the [[separation of church and state]] was a later invention or at least imposed against the wishes of the [[US founding fathers]].
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* The wording of [[The Pledge of Allegiance]] has become an issue in the {{USA}} partly for similar reasons.
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* [[Gateways to Better Education]] is an organization promoting the insertion of [[religious]] education within [[US public schools|public school]] classrooms in the {{USA}}
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==Quotes==
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{{excerpt|Dr. [[Martin Luther King, Jr.]] said (emphasis added):}}
 +
'''The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.''' It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.
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{{-excerpt|(source needed)}}
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==Links==
 
==Links==
 
===Reference===
 
===Reference===
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* Wikipedia: |[[wikipedia:separation of church and state|separation of church and state]]| [[wikipedia:First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment to the United States Constitution]]|
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* Wikipedia: | [[wikipedia:separation of church and state|separation of church and state]] | [[wikipedia:First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment to the United States Constitution]] |
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** [[wikipedia:In God We Trust|In God We Trust]]
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* {{conservapedia}}: as of 2008-01-09, begins with language clearly intended to push anti-Separation buttons in [[religious right|religious conservatives]]
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* {{dkosopedia}}
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* {{sourcewatch}}
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===Filed Links===
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{{links/news}}
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===Projects===
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* [http://www.au.org/ Americans United for Separation of Church and State]
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====antithetical====
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{{notice/need/update|This section should probably have its own page for [[separation of school and state]], which could discuss topics such as the misuse of the term "academic freedom"}}
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* [http://apps.facebook.com/causes/4708 Keep God In Schools!]
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* [http://www.schoolandstate.org/ Alliance for the Separation of School and State]
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* [http://www.freedomofeducation.net/ Freedom of Education.net]
 
===Commentary===
 
===Commentary===
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* [http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/12/original_intent.html why the mail is no longer delivered on Sunday] by Susan Jacoby: some history on separation of church and state in the US; [http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2005/12/putting-god-in-charge-if-they-could.html highlights and commentary] by Arthur Silber
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* '''2007-10-02''' [http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/10/2/11595/7881 Critical Mass: Bishops Advise Supreme Court On The Laws Of God] by Rob Boston
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* '''2007-09-20''' [http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_092007/content/01125108.guest.html A Lesson on Why Liberals Worship Separation of Church and State] (see also: [[Rush Limbaugh]])
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** '''2007-09-27''' [http://blog.au.org/2007/09/27/limbaugh-flunks-history-radio-ranter-spreads-false-information-about-church-and-state/ Limbaugh Flunks History: Radio Ranter Spreads False Information About Church And State]
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* '''2007-09-14''' [http://www.talk2action.org/story/2007/9/25/14631/2906 Russian Roulette: Orthodox Church Leaders Seek Influence Over Public Schools] by Rob Boston: "One of the most foolish arguments the Religious Right uses against church-state separation is that the concept is communistic."
 
* '''2006-11-12''' [http://lippard.blogspot.com/2006/11/public-school-teacher-tells-class-you.html Public school teacher tells class: "You belong in hell"]: an example of why separation is important
 
* '''2006-11-12''' [http://lippard.blogspot.com/2006/11/public-school-teacher-tells-class-you.html Public school teacher tells class: "You belong in hell"]: an example of why separation is important
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* '''2005-12-??''' [http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/12/original_intent.html why the mail is no longer delivered on Sunday] by Susan Jacoby: some history on separation of church and state in the US
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** [http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/2005/12/putting-god-in-charge-if-they-could.html highlights and commentary] by Arthur Silber
 +
 
===Discussion===
 
===Discussion===
 
* TruthMapping: [http://www.truthmapping.com/viewtopic.php?id=231 Should there be a division between church and state?]
 
* TruthMapping: [http://www.truthmapping.com/viewtopic.php?id=231 Should there be a division between church and state?]

Latest revision as of 15:44, 4 March 2011

Overview

"The separation of church and state is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. The concept has long been a topic of political debate throughout history." -- [W]

United States

This separation has grown into a significant ongoing issue in the United States.

On one side is the "Establishment Clause" of the US Constitution's First Amendment which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". While somewhat ambiguously worded, this has been generally taken to mean that the government may not take any actions that deliberately favor one religion over another.

On the other side, there has been a strong, generally authoritarian cultural movement to "include [the Christian] God" in daily life, and to "put God back" into various arenas from which religion had generally been excluded. Supporters, especially on the religious right, claim that the US is a Christian nation, often backing up this claim with revisionist history and quotes from early US historical documents taken out of context.

Some resultant issues include prayer in public schools and the wording of The Pledge of Allegiance.

Points for Discussion

  • How is it bad if God is excluded? How is it bad if God is included? Does "including God" include all religions, or are some disqualified as being pagan, heathen, etc.?
  • Why should an atheist feel excluded, or even threatened, when God is mentioned? (see discussion page for more)

Related Pages

Quotes

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said (emphasis added):

The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.

(source needed)

Links

Reference

Filed Links

Projects

antithetical

This page is in need of updating. This section should probably have its own page for separation of school and state, which could discuss topics such as the misuse of the term "academic freedom"

Commentary

Discussion

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