The Separation of Church and Politics

Every American student learns very early in grade school about our country’s religious freedom. The Founding Fathers formed a government based on the freedom to worship as they pleased.

America was no doubt founded on Christian principles but it is unfair to say that America was founded as a Christian nation. It is true that the Declaration of Independence mentions “Nature’s God,” “Creator,” and “Divine Providence,” but only in the context of presenting the idea that “governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” – NOT to endorse Christianity. Contrary to popular opinion, “One nation under God” was not added to the pledge of allegiance until 1954 and “In God We Trust” was not printed on American currency until 1956. If we were truly a Christian nation, our governing document, the U.S. Constitution, would proclaim it. However, there is not a single mention of God or Christianity. In fact, The Bill of Rights forbade the creation of a state religion and permitted the free exercise of any religion by any and all of its citizens. The framers of our Constitution and of the “great experiment” were well aware of religious intolerance around the world and wanted no part of it so they wisely established the first government in history which separated church and state. In 1797, the American government under George Washington formed a treaty with Tripoli which said that the “government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” The Founding Fathers sought to create a democracy and meritocracy where people could freely worship whatever religion they chose. There was little tension between church and government for over one hundred fifty years until the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1948 (McCollum v. Board of Education) which declared that religious instruction in public schools is unconstitutional. Ever since, many Christian activists have fought hard to preserve their influence on society despite the ruling.

In the past sixty years, we have seen ever greater separation of church and state. Prayer, reading the Bible, and displaying the Ten Commandments have all been forbidden from public schools. Banning the teaching of evolution and requiring the teaching of creationism are now both unconstitutional as well. Despite these obvious separations of church and state, there has definitely not been separation of church and politics. As a backlash to the perceived secularism of the Supreme Court in the 20th century, religious conservatives have become more vocal and more active in making sure “thy will be done” in American politics.

Environmentalists are a special interest group; so is the National Rifle Association. Churches and religious organizations are NOT. Karl Rove is a political whiz and a brilliant campaign strategist but he dangerously energized the religious conservatives in America by convincing them that they are in fact a special interest group and need to stand up and do something about it.

By energizing the “base” of the Republican Party in such a way, religion has now become one of the most pertinent aspects of American voting. The Constitution’s one codified statement regarding religion says that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” Although this statute refers to the eligibility to run for office, the American electorate continues to impose its own litmus test on candidates. Every election cycle, candidates from both parties are grilled on their faith and how it affects their morals and decisions. In 1960, then-Senator John F. Kennedy made his famous speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association to assuage concerns about his Catholic faith. In 2004, Democratic Presidential candidate, Governor Howard Dean, was derailed after being unable to name a book of the New Testament and admitting that he had not attended church in years. In 2008, Governor Mitt Romney was relentlessly criticized by Christian groups for his Mormon faith. It is outrageous that the American electorate reviews political candidates through such xenophobic glasses since our nation was founded on the concept that we elect candidates who are trustworthy, share our values and views, and have the intellect and leadership to represent our interests.

I do not for a moment want to suggest that I am anti-religion or realistically believe that religion and politics will ever be separated. Religion, ethics, and morality have had extremely positive effects on the American society. “It’s fine if religion influences your moral values. But, when you make public arguments, you have to ground them – as much as possible in reason and evidence…otherwise you can’t persuade other people, and they can’t persuade you.” Billy Graham is one of the most well-known and well-respected political figures in American history. He has been a very effective public intellectual – setting aside politics to assume the role of America’s pastor. In private letters with President Eisenhower, Graham offered Ike very nonpartisan advice advised about how to address racial injustice in America.

The often-mythical American Dream is supposed to enable a person with any background to work hard and their ambitions will come to fruition. What does it say then about the United States that we preach this American Dream but then footnote it by saying that if you are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or an Atheist – your political aspirations are restricted – regardless of your ability or predilection to lead? I understand people’s attraction toward candidates that share their values – political, religious, or otherwise – but dismissing candidates based solely on race, religion, or gender is wrong. In two very similar speeches, Governor Mitt Romney and then-Senator John F. Kennedy made similar points – that faith and morality matter more than doctrine. The Bible tells us that we are all God’s children and He views us as equal. If the hypocrites would examine their own faith, they would recognize that not only the Constitution but the Holy Bible urges us to do so. If we truly are ‘all created equal’ and were treated as such, these men would not have needed to deliver such speeches.

In one sense, JFK broke the religion barrier in national politics in a similar fashion to how Jackie Robinson broke the race barrier in baseball. The difference is that after Robinson joined Major League Baseball, the door opened to many other African American athletes. Almost fifty years after JFK was elected, however, non-Christian politicians are still run out of town – regardless of their qualifications. I look forward to the day when candidates can say what they mean, mean what they say, and have an electorate vote for the right reasons.