Separation of Church and State

Separation of Church and State – We always hear when Christians try to step up that we are separating church and state. But what was the true purpose of this. Was it to protect the government from the church or the church from the government?

Separation of Church and State

It’s to protect the church from the state and the state from the church. This phrase is not in the constitution! However, the The First Amendment does protect our rights to religion. The freedom of religion. When we say state, that means government.

Separation of Church and State was intended to provide Freedom of Religion NOT Freedom FROM Religion. It was intended to PROTECT the CHURCH from the STATE not the other way around.

This came about by a letter dated January 1, 1802, by Thomas Jefferson, addressed to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut, and published in a Massachusetts newspaper. Jefferson wrote, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that 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 & State.

Basically this was that the state couldn’t rule over the church or the church to rule over the state.

Separation of Church and State Day is October 28. I am not sure how or why this day was selected.

First published October 25, 2018. Last updated or republished October 28, 2019.

About the Author

Steve Patterson

A Christian Blogger that enjoys blogging about the Bible, Theology, God, Jesus Christ, Christian Music, Family, Cats, Odd Holidays, sewing and much more. I have been blogging since 2004, however, I have been blogging on Courageous Christian Father since 2012. I enjoy listening to Christian Music. I am married with 1 daughter, 2 step-sons and a step daughter.

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