Separation Church State

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Nathan Wallace

Ms. Von Bergen

Writing Seminar

19 November 2012

The First Amendment And Separation of Church And State

One may ask, What is the role of 'separation of Church & State' in America? What is that

role, and what does it mean for Christians? The ruling ofEmerson v. Board of Education, in 1947,

resulted in an impregnable wall that cannot be breached (Mapp 12). This impregnable wall has ensued

in liberal politics by forcing traditional religious values out of public schools (and much more of

society), and replaced them with evolutionary and secular values. Look at the founding fathers! The

Emerson v. Board of Education ruling manufactured a new wall of separation by taking the phrase's

original meaning and intent out of context. Ironically, that change gave wall of separation the exact

result it was intended to prevent. The wall of separation historically was never meant to be

interpreted as separation of churchfrom state which means the first amendment of the Bill of Rights is

now incorrectly interpreted and applied. This transmutation holds great significance for Christians in

America today.

The original intent of the phrase wall of separation within the United States of America

begins back in its infancy as a colony of England during the 1600's. Roger Williams, an Anabaptist

who started the first Baptist church in America, was inspired by Scripture, Puritan motives, and the

true origin of the phrase's principles with Bishop Francis Asbury. In 1644, Rev. Roger Williams wrote

in a letter to Mr. Cotton that God broke down the wall that the Garden and Paradise must be walled as

the world from Himself which is necessary if all are to be saved from the world (Williams). The

Biblical basis for this reference is Ephesians 2:14, and the intent was a warning over concerns for one


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of Israel's continual struggles heartfelt motivations for intermingling with the world. This warning

can be seen in areas of Scripture such as Exodus 32, Judges 3:5-11 and especially 1 Samuel 8:9-18. In

reality, this dilemma is the heart issue of sinfulness in fallen man, and this dilemma is a struggle ofall

men. However, the origins of this phrase didn't end here.

President Thomas Jefferson respected Rev. Roger Williams and thus used the wall of

separation phrase to reflect that man needs to separate Godliness from worldliness lest man will

always have their conscience infringed upon by worldliness of other men. Jefferson's fervent belief

in religious freedom shouldn't be doubted when the entirety of his works are in the whole picture. The

danger for religious freedom is in view and narrow scope of only one or two isolated works. President

Jefferson wrote to the Presbyterian pastor Rev. Samuel Miller on January 23rd of 1808 a clear

explanation of his view that the Constitution prevents the U.S. Government from intermeddling

with any religious organizations or affairs (this is in regards to the first amendment), and any authority

in these matters can only be handled through the states (Jefferson). The explanation in Jefferson's letter

to Rev. Samuel Miller is why Jefferson refused to follow his predecessors in issuing proclamations of

fasting and Thanksgiving from the Presidency.

In regards to the popular and misunderstood letter Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists on

January 1st of 1802 when he wrote, Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely with

between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith and his worship (Jefferson).

This letter alone should also be enough to indicate that man is not accountable to his federal

government for his religious convictions, albeit this truth is not the case. The words in final form that

became a wall of separation between Church & State, were initially drafted as confining myself

therefore to the duties of my station, which are merely temporal, be assured that your religious rights

will never be infringed by any act of mine (Jefferson). James Hutson makes Jefferson's letter to the


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Danbury's very clear by showing historically that Jefferson was writing this letter to ease constituent's

fears. Their fears were driven by Jefferson's political opposition stating that he was a Godless man who

will hinder their religious practices for republicanism, and that the temporal notion was an insult to a

portion of English parliament alone. Jefferson's unique faith was not to be separated from the free

exercise clause of the first amendment because Jefferson believed that a man with his own

conscience had to make his own religious convictions, and that man could not be coerced for or

against any faithful belief or practice.

Jefferson's misunderstood faith should also not be as confusing as it most commonly is today.

His faith was one that doubted the Deity of Jesus Christ which is noticeable in his writing in the

unmiraculous and unsupernatural Life and Morals of Jesus and in a letter he wrote to President John

Adams on July 5th of 1814 (Jefferson). Jefferson also wrote of his rejection of Trinitarianism to

President John Adams on August 22 of 1813 (Jefferson). Despite those prior facts Jefferson was

certainly not a deist. Jefferson knew that his Creator was the God of his forefathers in Israel, that He

still actively enlightens the minds of His people, and this was stated by Jefferson in his second

inaugural address (Mapp 10). Jefferson was undoubtedly a God-believing man who also believed

strongly in the republic of the United States that Constitutionally could not interfere with the religion of

the nation's people. There is no need to make such horribly inaccurate assessments of history when the

original sources are learned andtaught. Whether intentional or unintentional, withdrawing bits of

history from real truth and real history that should be part of America's education is horribly lacking in

integrity and is both dangerous and revisionism.

So what does the religious portion of the first amendment mean? The first amendment says,

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise

thereof (U.S. Constitution Amend. I). The first part, respecting an establishment of religion is called


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the establishment clause. The second part, prohibiting the free exercise thereof is called the free

exercise clause. The establishment clause was solely intended to prevent a national religion or church

just as had been the concern with the Church of England. The only security against government

infringement of religious beliefs was uprooting the power of a national establishment, but this security

was decided imperfect, necessitating a further declaration the free exercise clause (Story 731). The

free exercise clause was intended to be taken literally as it was written by leaving the all power over

religion solely to state governments (Story 731). Those sentiments were precisely the intent from the

beginning of the Congressional debates. Joseph Story also wrote that all persecution and oppression of

consciences of religious means are unjustifiable (729). That assessment from Story is absolutely

consistent with Jefferson's conclusions. Finally, Joseph Story also sums up the first amendment,

pertaining to religion, perfectly:

1871. The real object of the amendment was, not to countenance, much less to advance

Mahometanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating; but to exclude all rivalry among

Christian sects, and to prevent any national ecclesiastical establishment, which should give

to an hierarchy the exclusive patronage of the national government. It thus cut off the

means of religious persecution, (the vice and pest of former ages,) and of the subversion

of the rights of consciousness in the matters of religion, which had been trampled upon

almost from the days of the Apostles to the present age (Story 728).

There simply is not a better way to put it than Story put it the amendment was not to advance any

other religion or Christian sect, but to prevent all means of religious persecution and subversion of

one's conscience. The first amendment was only meant to prevent government favor of a religion, and

any violation against any religious person nothing else! Revising history for any purpose is without

good moral ethic and again is dangerous! If revisionism is allowed, it permits more revisionism which


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illegitimately distorts the truth and can lead to the propagation of lies.

The truth here is greatly significant to the uninformed or uncertain Christians. Christians need

to react to this persecution, but this reaction needs to be done in a Godly manner that is Scripture based.

First and foremost, it is a Christian's responsibility to watch for the most Godly of men and work to

place them in office as evident by Exodus 18:18-23 whoever lines up best with God's word, vote for

them! In America, we live in a society with democratic means which means we need to vote, and

America needs God-fearing men as notable as in 2 Samuel 23:3 & Psalm 125:3. At the very least, go

vote! As a nation, if Americans reject God He will deliver us into the hands of the world we desire (1

Samuel 8:7-9), but this revisionist reality can change and truth can be restored. God is always in

control (Psalm 16:8), and the nature of our leaders can change (Daniel 2:21). In the times between

elections pray for our leaders because they need the grace of the Savior as much as anyone else (1

Timothy 2:1-6). Just as important, if you have children teach them the truth! Do not let your children

grow ignorant of our past because the revisionist status quo of American public education. Also, train

your children in the Word so that they know and understand how God wants them to respond to this

charge (Proverbs 22:6). However, Americans also ought to be obedient to our leaders as much as

possible within our consciences because God favors order and submission (Romans 13:1-7).

Obedience is best in order to prevent acting in vain; however, Americans should also not dismiss

obedience to the Father in favor of obedience to man (Acts 5:29). If push comes to shove, be prepared

for further persecution. There will be troubles; sometimes more; sometimes less; eventually more than

less, but do not worry because he will ultimately wipe away every tear and make all things new

(Revelation 21:4-5). Educate your family internally where the government refuses the education

externally; that is the only way to overcome these challenges as Christians.


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Endure! Pray! Our nation has wavered, but there is always hope in Christ so put your faith in

Him. We have departed from our former foundations in religious passion governmentally. The first

amendment is rarely fully understood in the manner it was once intended, but we always have hope in

Christ. Even Tocqueville got it right many decades after the first debates when he wrote in Democracy

in America, All the peoples of Europe were born in centuries when the ardor of religious passions

reigned, but American society was established especially in order to satisfy these very passions

(Tocqueville 157). Despite modern frustrations and intrusions there really is still hope for Americans.

Worry is of no practical use when we know He wins in the end.


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Bibliography

Carpenter, Edmund J., Litt.D.Roger Williams. New York: The Grafton Press, 1909. Print.

Gourley, Bruce T., Ph.D. "Wall of Separation Between Church and State." Wall of Separation Between

Church and State RSS. Web. Nov. 2012.

History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Representatives of the United States. New

York. 1789. Print. Annals of Congress.

Hutson, James. "'A Wall of Separation' FBI Helps Restore Jefferson's Obliterated Draft."Library of

Congress Information Bulletin. Library of Congress, Web. Nov. 2012.

Jefferson, Thomas. "Jefferson's Draft Letter." Letter to the Danbury Baptists. 01 Jan. 1802.Library of


Jefferson, Thomas. "Jefferson's Final Letter." Letter to the Danbury Baptists. 01 Jan. 1802.Library of


Jefferson, Thomas. "To Rev. Samuel Miller." Letter to Samuel Miller. 23 Jan. 1808. Online Library of

Liberty: The Works of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 11. LibertyFund, Web. Nov. 2012.

Mapp, Alf J. Jr. The Faiths of Our Fathers. 2006 ed. New York: Fall River, 2003. Print.

Morris, Henry, Ph.D. "The Wall of Partition." Institution For Creation Research: Articles. Web. Nov.

2012.

Schweikart, Larry, and Michael Allen.A Patriot's History of the United States. 1st ed. New York:

Sentinel, 2004. Print.

Story, Joseph, LL. D. Commentaries On the Constitution of the United States; With a Preliminary

Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the

Constitution. Vol. 3rd. Boston: Hillard, Gray, and, 1833. Print.


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Thomas Jefferson's Original Draft Letter To the Danbury Baptists

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Separation Church State