The Church and State

Perhaps there is no other national debate as contentious as what is commonly referred to as "the separation of church and state". Advocates of the separation of church and state applaud the decisions of courts to remove all signs of religion (Christianity, in particular) from schools, courthouses and other public properties while at the same time turn a blind eye to political rallies conducted in many churches at Sunday morning worship assemblies by presidential and legislative candidates who support the agendas of a church in the public forum.

On the other hand those who believe the church ought to influence public education, public debate and public opinion quote the writings of the founders of this nation who believed in God and even used God's name in the foundational document of this nation, the Declaration of Independence.

Personally, I am not nearly as concerned about the church's involvement in the affairs of state as I am concerned about the state's growing restrictions on the church and the government's interference in the activities of the church. I am for the separation of church and state. And it is time for the state to get out of the affairs of the church.

Having said that there ought to be a separation of church and state does not mean Christians or the church or the members of any non-profit organization for that matter, have given up their rights as citizens of the United States. Christians ought to vote, petition the government, express their moral and ethical values in the public market of ideas, and join together with those who have the same hopes and dreams as they have. But I don't believe the church should be organized as a tool for political action.

The church, as an organization, and any other non-profit organization (including public elementary, secondary and university levels of education) should not attempt to influence or to legislate their beliefs and values on a free society. Non-profit institutions are supported by the taxpayers either by being exempt from paying taxes, or in the case of public education actually receive money from the taxes paid by those who do not hold the same beliefs.

Individual Christians, just as those who are non-believers, have the right to organize and influence morality and ethics of society in general. An example of the "blurring" of the line between church and state is the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's when Martin Luther King, Jr. conducted many of his civil rights rallies within the walls of church buildings.

What is called the "Christian Right", and now even more blatantly the "Progressive (socialist) Left, have simply copied Dr. King's methods. Many conduct political rallies within the walls of their churches. These rallies are designed to change the public behavior through administration and legislation and the decisions of the courts, the Supreme Court in particular.

Both believers and non-believers use their non-profit organizations to promote their political and social agendas. Churches are not the only non-profit organizations in this country that do not pay taxes. Universities not only do not pay taxes, the government actually subsidizes them with enormous amounts of money received from taxpayers.

Beginning in the spring of 1820, Alexander Campbell (under the pseudonym "Candidus") published a series of letters in the southwestern Pennsylvania Washington County "Reporter". Those articles criticized the "Moral Society of Middletown" for its attempts (which were successful to a degree) to enforce its religious beliefs and behaviors on the general populace. For example, the "Moral Society of Middletown" tried to limit the distance a person could travel on Sunday. Campbell attacked the idea of the "Society" that "fining men for their vices would make them moral."

Dr. Robert Richardson, Campbell's biographer, wrote, "Christianity works by persuasion not by legislation." Yet churches from the left and right, the liberal and conservative, the radical left and the radical right, continue to hold political rallies in churches. They invite candidates for high office to address their assemblies. Personally, I think this is crossing the line that should separate church and state and that should separate any non-profit organization from the state.

Churches though justify their political activity by claiming that it is the church's role to correct social injustices like racism or to protect the unborn from abortion. But as one who believes Christians ought to take as our model the lives of the first Christians, which is described in the New Testament, I do not see any attempt to change the political system or to oust the politicians who ran the government.

What I do see in the New Testament is the concentrated effort to convert individuals to Christianity by the art of persuasion. And when people became Christians, the systems changed. Jesus said that a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. In follows then that if we want to end what we believe to be ungodliness in our society and establish what we believe is righteousness, we need to get busy changing people, not systems and politicians.

In the 15th to the 17th Centuries the Bible was translated into the languages of the common people. The first printed book was the Bible. And the result was nothing short of phenomenal.

Believers were freed from the tyranny of those who would force their religions beliefs on people. And everyone was freed to seek the truth of this wonderful universe, both scientifically and spiritually, without the fear of being ridiculed or, worse, executed, for not agreeing with the political and scientific and religious leaders who had enforced their own brand of religion and science and philosophy.

Whenever any one facet of society, be it religious, scientific, philosophical, or political, gains the power to silence dissenting views, darkness will envelop society, just as it did when the Roman church ruled with an iron fist from 500 to 1500.

The Dark Ages ended in Medieval Europe because the Protestant Reformers secured freedom of religion and science and philosophy for the citizenry. The modern sciences owe their freedom and their very existence to these reformers. The church established the first universities. The church established the first hospitals. Even to this day the Christian church is the most generous and benevolent organization in the world.

When disaster strikes people turn to the Christian church. And when disaster stikes, the media and their spokespersons briefly stop their condemnation of the church's involvement in the lives of others.

Robert Richardson was right. "Christianity works by persuasion not by legislation."