Church and state is a term that refers to the relations between churches and governments. The church-state relationship has been the subject of disagreements and conflicts throughout history. Today, the separation of church and state is a central principle of government in the United States and some other democracies. It seeks to protect religious freedom and to prevent discrimination or exclusion on the basis of religion.
In the United States, the separation of church and state has roots in the First Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.“ Courts have ruled that this amendment forbids government from supporting an official or preferred religion, or interfering with the practice of faith. A number of other countries—including Australia, France, and Japan—also support separation of church and state. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, maintain separation in some areas but recognize certain religions as established (national) churches.
The church-state debate.
People have long disagreed over the extent of the separation of church and state. Many people believe that government should be entirely secular (nonreligious) and that churches should operate outside the government system. Other people believe that government should be able to fund or support some religious activities, as long as it does not favor one religion over another. Still others believe that religion improves the moral character of citizens and should therefore be actively promoted by government.
A number of church-state issues have generated intense debate, particularly in the United States. Such issues have included prayer in public schools, government funding for religious schools, government support for religious charities, and the display of religious symbols on government property.
History.
In ancient Greece and Rome, closely related bodies handled both religious and governmental affairs. Church-state relations began to change after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire about A.D. 380. In 494, Pope Gelasius I formulated a doctrine of coordination between church and state. He wrote that priests and kings ordinarily should not interfere with one another, but that religious officials should have the last word if a conflict arose. The roles of religious and secular officials were further defined by the Concordat of Worms in 1122. Religious officials claimed the higher authority.
The Middle Ages saw a series of struggles between popes and European rulers. In 1302, during a dispute with King Philip IV of France, Pope Boniface VIII issued a famous bull (papal decree) called Unam sanctam. The bull was a strong affirmation of papal authority over secular rulers. In response, Philip accused Boniface of a number of crimes and tried to force him to resign. Boniface died in 1303. In 1309, a French pope, Clement V, moved the papal court to Avignon, in what is now France. From that year to 1377, French kings often were able to influence the popes. By the end of the 1400’s, the church and many of the governments of Europe had established an uneasy peace.
The Reformation, a religious movement of the 1500’s, had a major impact on church-state relations. The emergence of numerous Christian denominations during this period led to conflicts over spiritual authority in many countries. Eventually, it became common for a country’s ruler to determine the religion of the country’s people. With minor exceptions, this arrangement prevailed until the American and French revolutions in the late 1700’s.
After the United States declared its independence in 1776, it moved toward separation of church and state. Separation of church and state became a feature of democratic governments in the 1800’s and 1900’s.
