Carol asked:
Isn't separation of Church and State one of the principles in the American constitution?
The answer is "no." There is no constitutional premise for the doctrine of separation of church and state. The phrase comes from a letter which President Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802. In this letter, he was trying to reassure a pastoral association that he, as president, would neither move to establish a state church nor would he attempt to disenfranchise those who were avid churchgoers from participating in this new democratic republic we call the United States.
And what many people do not know is that throughout Jefferson's presidency the House of Representatives was used as a place of Christian worship on Sundays. Jefferson was a regular attendee at these meetings.
The phrase "separation of church and state" was not made a basis for any judicial decision until 1947, but since then has been repeated so often that most people believe that it is Constitutional law. It isn't. It's set by precedent, which means that the courts have insinuated this principle into our legal fabric.
And I believe in Jefferson's principle of separation of church and state. I believe that the state should not directly associate itself with any church (or religion), nor should the state interfere with the peaceful practice of any organized religion.
But I also believe, unlike many in American government today, that one's religious beliefs cannot be conveniently "left at the doorstep" when entering public service. I do not believe that any religious leader should ever dictate governmental policy, but I also believe that if a president or senator or congressperson or member of the judiciary holds strong religious beliefs, they should not disqualify that person from serving in government. If one is a Christian, for example, those Christian beliefs will inform and guide that person's decisions whether that person is in public service or in private practice.
