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Separation of church and state argumentative essay
The relationship between a state and a church
Separation of church and state argumentative essay
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Church-state relations in America has been widely discussed and hotly debated. One school of thought holds that the church should be absolutely separated from the state, while another holds that the church plays a moral role in state building and its sanctity, without which the state risks falling apart. In my discussion of the church-state relations, I state that the history of church-state relations has a Constitutional basis. Next, I discuss the two schools of thought in context and how they have shaped contemporary American political thought. Finally, I argue that the two schools of thought have a common ground. This is followed by a summary of my key arguments and a conclusion to my essay. The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States establishes religious freedom, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Against the Constitutional background, Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, wrote a Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. The Bill was passed in the Virginia General Assembly in 1777. However, Jefferson thought that it was not enough to have a Constitutional provision that debars Congress from establishing a religion for all; it was equally important to separate the Church from the state to allow Religious Freedom, so that each and every one will practice their religions freely without government restrictions. Thus, he opposed the interference of the state in religious practices. Secondly, Jefferson argued that if the state was allowed to interfere with the affairs of the church it will give the government the power to persecute those who oppose its policies. The man, whose ideas and ideals have been shaped by experience and practice,... ... middle of paper ... ...ality and virtue of the state. In summary, I have stated the Constitutional basis with respect to the history of church-state relation in America. I have stated clearly the two doctrines of separation of church and state versus using religion to bolster morality and virtue of the republic. And I have argued that the two doctrines have a common ground in conscience and morality. I conclude that the role of the church in the state is indispensable to the extent that it produces morally upright leaders. However, it cannot influence public policies by imposing its doctrines on the state or coercing any politician or political entity thereof. Works Cited 1. Kramnick, Isaac and Lowi, Theory, J. American Political Thought: A Norton Anthology. W. W. Norton, 2000. 2. Shklar, Judith, N. Redeeming American Political Thought. University of Chicago Press, 1998.
Thomas Jefferson believed that a wall must be built separating church and state in hopes of protecting America’s religious liberty because of his views of human nature and good government, while President James Madison may have not supported how Jefferson went about it, he agreed with the notion that church and state should be separated. Taking a look into Jefferson’s past and how his views back then relate to his decisions, have made a difference. Between Jefferson and Madison, they grew more together than apart, but with different backgrounds in the same party, there were some disagreement. In his letter to the Danbury Baptists, Jefferson sends a request for the separation of church and state in hopes of rebuilding and making The United States
The first Amendment of the United States Constitution says; “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.”[1] Our fore fathers felt that this statement was plain enough for all to understand, however quite often the United States government deems it necessary to make laws to better define those rights that are stated in the Constitution. Today the framers would be both encouraged and discouraged by our modern interpretation the First Amendment the United States Constitution.
Separation of church and state has become the ideal sense of government in the Modern Era, specifically in America since the late 1700s. Secular governments seek to improve the nature and well being of the individual, in hopes to benefit the society as a whole. Secular law seeks to use moral guidelines to benefit the citizens of the nation, making crimes such as theft, murder, and physical harms highly punishable. However, where do these law codes get their structure? What, before the separation, influenced these legal structures and developed society? The answer is simple, religious law. Throughout time law and religion have parallel one another. Many secular law codes share the same moral values that religious law used to unify a society.
With sounds of youthful laughter, conversations about the students’ weekends, and the shuffling of college ruled paper; students file into their classrooms and find their seats on a typical Monday morning. As the announcements travel throughout the school’s intercoms, the usual “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance” becomes no longer usual but rather puzzling to some students. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.” Confusion passes through some of the student’s minds. With the reoccurrence of “God” in the backdrop of American life, the relationship between church and state has become of little to no matter for American citizens just as it has with American students. While congress makes no law respecting an establishment of religion, the term “freedom of religion” presents itself to no longer be the definition of “free”, while also having its effects on debates today. According to Burt Rieff, in Conflicting Rights and Religious Liberty, “Parents, school officials, politicians, and religious leaders entered the battle over defining the relationship between church and state, transforming constitutional issues into political, religious, and cultural debates” (Rieff). Throughout the 20th century, many have forgotten the meaning of religion and what its effects are on the people of today. With the nonconformist society in today’s culture, religion has placed itself in a category of insignificance. With the many controversies of the world, religion is at a stand still, and is proven to not be as important as it was in the past. Though the United States government is based on separation of church and state, the gover...
Because the Founding Fathers mentioned religion in both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, a long-lasting question of God and the government has plagued America. Luckily, Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, answered the question in the letter to the Danbury Baptists. While the Founding Fathers acknowledged God’s role in government, religious freedom was and still is a defining trait of America’s structure (“Declaration of Independence,” 1776, para. 1). 1-2).
Concentration of power in a political machine is bad; and an Established Church is only a political machine; it was invented for that; it is nursed, cradled, preserved for that; it is an enemy to human liberty, and does no good which it could not better do in a split-up and scattered condition. That wasn’t law; it wasn’t gospel: it was only an opinion — my opinion, and I was only a man, one man: so it wasn’t worth any more than the pope’s — or any less, for that matter. (Twain
In his brief response, President Jefferson sympathized with the Baptists in their opposition to the state of Connecticut’s established religion. The question of this assignment is “What do you think the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution thought about the separation of church and state or about the separation of God from government?” While devoutly committed to religious liberty He deeply opposed established churches as existed in Massachusetts and Connecticut, but recognized that, as President, he had to respect them. The letter contains the phrase "wall of separation between church and state," that expressed his reverence for the First Amendment’s “wall of separation between Church & State” at the federal level. This became the short-hand for the Establishment Clause that we use today: "Separation of church and state." President Jefferson put much thought and intense scrutiny into the letter, and consulted New England politicians to assure that his words would not offend while still conveying his message that it was not the place of the Congress or of the Executive to do anything that might be misconstrued an establishment of religion. The now well-known the phrase "wall of separation between church and state,” lay
During Colonial America, religious affiliation was a significant consideration in many aspects of daily life. Politics and religion, for example, were quite intertwined. In fact, many political decisions were influenced by church membership. Authored by Thomas Jefferson, The Virginia Statute for religious freedom, was written, in part, to address this questionable relationship. This statute established the right for religious freedom for all faiths while also abolishing the Church of England in Virginia. This step in the
The ability to maintain the separation of church and state provides a concrete foundation for the United States of America. The wall of separation between church and state allows the citizens to govern themselves without government interference. The country has the ability for the government to remain secular with a vast set of religious groups. As we explored the religious and secular groups that share over 150 years of history, where the debates were constant over whether or not to maintain the separation between church and state. The government displayed the capability to remain secular and treat citizens with fairness and grant them their liberties.
There must be a defining line where religious beliefs and political views are deemed discordant and separated by topic, not by an entirety. In other words, there should not be a full separation of Church and State, but rather an understanding of when politics should and can be affected by religious beliefs. The separation of Church and State in America is an evolving dispute and is constantly redefining itself. We have come to the point where we are less inclined to criticize individuals that are different and more inclined to embrace each other’s eccentricities in most cases. However, religion has always been a sensitive topic in the United States. Separation of Church and State functioned as a primary concern even during Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency and remains current today. Today the headlines focus on President George W. Bush and his proposal to use faith- based organizations to provide social services to the public. Issues regarding the separation of Church and State frequently resurface. The first time this issue was made known to American citizens was when the Supreme Court removed prayer from the public school system (Engle v. Vitale 1962). Last year, the Supreme Court made another decision in regards to this same concern, but with a slight
Should Church and State be Separate? Alan Wolfe (2002) speaks about many of the implied hypocrisies during the centuries-long debate over separation of church and state. While most people are brought up to question hypocrisy, Wolfe claims that some level of it is necessary to allow for compassion from the audience. “Surely we should want our anti-clericalists to have a touch of belief about them, especially when compared to the truly cynical.” Wolfe ( 14, 2002).
Several others understood and espoused that a solid Christian doctrine, as well as unshakeable apologetics would secure liberty and freedom for coming generations. There were, however, a few Founding Fathers that did not subscribe to Judeo-Christian doctrine and beliefs; but held the notion that there was a higher power to which we were beholden to acknowledge in the administration of the premises covered in the Declaration of Independence, and the newly formed Constitution of the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson, being one of these few, believed that “Nature’s God” as he referred to him in the Declaration of Independence, is undeniably visible in the manifestations of the heavens and the earth, and gave man the freedom to choose his beliefs. In Jefferson’s 1786 “Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom,” he explicitly states,
Religion has been influential in shaping laws and codes that govern our lives dating back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Babylon (Matthews, Noble, & Platt, 2014). These civilizations illustrated an overlap between legal systems and spiritual settings” (Rothkamm, 2008). Our laws are an extension of societal values and morality; therefore, religious influence is evident. “Religious inspiration is not only vital for the content of laws, but also their enforcement” (Rothkamm, 2008, p. 308). Furthermore, freedom of religion is imperative in the advancement of American society because religion influences many cultures, which further fosters community relationships and interaction. Our government recognizes the importance for religious choice by including many laws to protect individuals based upon those beliefs. “The practice of religion is good for individuals, families, states, and the nation” (Fagan, 1996, n.p.).
Since the beginning of America, religion has played a significant role in American society. People’s strong faith amongst various religions has fueled many arguments and debates in America. While opinions differ on whether the significance of faith has had a positive or negative effect on the American society, there is no denying that faith has influenced many decisions and political circumstances in the United States. Because of the importance of religion to the majority of Americans, various court cases and laws have emerged as a result of the controversial First Amendment. A perfect example of one of these issues is McGowan V. Maryland, a landmark Supreme Court case.
In the past, the power and authority has shifted between different groups. At one time the religious citizens such as priests were viewed as extremely powerful and people would seek them for advice or assistance. Now, the power overall is placed more on the government officials and political figures. The United States Constitution begins with the first amendment stating that laws should not be made in regard to any established religion. This was later translated by Jefferson to mean that there should be a separation between church and state. Although this was a wish of the founders to be able to distinguish between religion and politics, there continues to be discrepancy over what can and cannot be governed in a person’s life.