“Separation of church and state” is a phrase most used by (typically) nonreligious individuals on the left.
The phrase was first coined by Rhode Island founder Roger Williams in 1635. He believed that a “wall or hedge of separation” was the only way an authentic Christian church could be possible. He believed the church would be corrupted if there was any government involvement.
It was used again in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. Jefferson states: “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that the act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.” This is known as the Establishment Clause within our First Amendment. It prohibits the government from “establishing” any single religion. Therefore, the government cannot force citizens to adhere to any specific religion; Americans have religious freedom granted to them by the First Amendment.
Unfortunately, the left has twisted the actual meaning of separation of church and state to mean something completely false. When liberals say they advocate for separation of church and state, what they really mean is that religious people should not have a place in politics. This is largely due to the left seemingly lacking an understanding of worldviews. Every individual has a worldview, whether he or she is religious or not. A person’s given worldview is expressed in their ethics, religion, philosophy, scientific beliefs, opinions, etc. Each person has their own expectations about how the world should be based on their system of beliefs.
I’ve often heard secular or atheist liberals say that Christians shouldn’t let their theology influence their politics and that they should be separate the issues. They believe that Christians are “forcing their religious beliefs” onto people if they do not separate them. Ironically, in believing this they are essentially “forcing” their own secular worldview and philosophy onto Christians and everyone else.
It is an asinine prospect to believe that religious individuals, namely Christians in this instance, cannot or should not allow their faith to influence the way they vote and which policies they advocate for. For example, Christians are commanded to obey the 10 Commandments that are outlined in the Bible. As a Christian, based off the erroneous definition of separation of church and state that is promulgated by the left, the logic would follow for me to advocate for the legalization of theft since “You shall not steal” is one of the 10 Commandments, and the left wouldn’t want me to “force” my religion onto others. The idiocy of this notion is obvious.
We all have a worldview that we express daily. Every complex worldview will influence whoever holds to that specific set of beliefs, whether one is conservative or liberal, atheist or Christian. The reality is that every person allows their worldview to bleed into their politics, and the quicker we can all realize this, the quicker the nonsensical and futile arguments over separation of church and state can end.