Separation Of Church And State Research Paper

Submitted By splashy6
Words: 2754
Pages: 12
Open Document
Separation of Church and State

Separation of church and state is a term recognizing the distant relationship between organized religion and the government. This term came about after the reformation, a time when the Catholic Church in England was under turmoil and serious criticism by leaders such as Martin Luther. Through his expression of “two kingdoms” he provided a new type of government where the church would have no say in the laws of the nation and implementation of them. This theory was adopted by the United States in several aspects. One of the main manifestations of this theory is imprinted in the Bill of Rights as the first amendment to the United States constitution. The United States has then since referred to this amendment in several court cases of the supreme level. The United States walks on a fine line between the establishments of church and state, the two clashed in several cases and the results have varied. Is separation of church and state a feasible idea or just an ideal? The thought of it being an ideal becomes more relevant as cases throughout history prove. The United States cannot establish this idea but it can most definitely try to follow its guidelines as much as possible. Separation between church and state has influenced our justice system and has become more defined through several court cases.
Our laws reflect the fundamental views of Christianity. A historical view shows Martin Luther initializing the protestant reformation, he did brought into light the corrupt practices of the catholic church and he started the idea of church versus state and America adopted this in its constitution but, what about the ideas that already came from the church. Surely, the ban on polygamy enforced by the Morill- Anti Bigamy Act (6) and then reinforced by the Edmunds Act, stems from the religious views of the Catholic Church in where a man can only marry one woman. America, however being the land of the free and home of the brave, decided to amend their constitution so that all people of all religious backgrounds can safely practice their religion free of persecution from the Catholic Church. This the benefits received from the idea of separation of church and state. However, it isn’t until a religion that bluntly disrespects and goes against the previous law of monogamy that it’s clear this idea isn’t so easy to manage in the land of the free. Mormonism, which embodies characteristics and practices that distinctively contrast from Protestantism, thrived in the United States in the middle 1800’s. Underlying the affairs of this religion was polygamy, in which a man may have several wives endorsed and even promoted by the religion. A conflict arose in 1878 when a man named George Reynolds decided to challenge the Morill Anti Bigamy act. In the Reynolds vs. United Stated case (1) George Reynolds was obviously confused with the ideas of freedom of belief America said to offer. He was a man living in a country that supposedly supported freedom of religious practice, so why was he being persecuted. After all this wasn’t old Great Britain that upheld monogamy because of its Catholic Church involvement, this was a new place, a new religious sanctuary. The case questioned whether or not the act violated George Reynolds and the rest of the Mormons right to religious practice. Although it was against the law it was part of his religion so he believed that he had a special right that no one else had to practice polygamy. The court denied his right to fully practice his religion because it violated the law, simply and plainly. However, a closer look at that law reveals favor towards the Christian practice of monogamy. The relationship between Adam and Eve in the beginning of the Bible is often viewed as the first monogamous relationship and the first marriage. That brings the question of whether the federal anti-bigamy act favors one religion over the other, which is the complete opposite of what America wants
Show More

Related Documents: Separation Of Church And State Research Paper

Separation Of Church And State

THE ORIGINS OF THE CONCEPT “SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE” CURTIS JONES III LIBERTY UNIVERSITY September 28, 2014 PPOG 500-B02 ABSTRACT There has been a lasting debate on the concept of what we call “Separation of Church and State”. Many are compelled to believe that the concept of “Separation of Church and State” was merely a phrase that was coined to segregate solidified religious, particularly Christian principles from the business of government and economics. This moreover constitutes…

Words 1050 - Pages 5

Essay on Separation of Church and State

The separation of church and state is a metaphorical description for the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state. It may refer to creating a secular state, with or without explicit reference to such separation, or to changing an existing relationship of church involvement in a state (disestablishment). Although the concept of separation has been adopted in a number of countries, there are varying degrees of separation depending on the applicable legal structures…

Words 339 - Pages 2

Essay about Separation of Church and State

LB Political Science U.S. GOVERNMENT Separation of Church and State Some of the darkest days in American history were the Civil War when the country was at the lowest point of division. These were the days when Abraham Lincoln believed that religion was a potential unifying force. Overwhelmingly most American believes in God but a common consensus cannot be achieved with how faith should inform nationhood. America is now more divided than ever over the relationship between religion and government…

Words 1621 - Pages 7

Separation Between Church And State In The Crucible

In a society where there is no separation between church and state it is difficult for the citizens to live harmoniously because every person has a different interpretation of god. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the characters Francis Nurse and John Proctor both struggle to live harmoniously in Salem due to the lack of separation of church and state. This is evident in their struggles to protect their wives, who are accused of being witches. John Proctor thinks that the accusation of his wife…

Words 270 - Pages 2

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE RESEARCH PAPER

How to Demonstrate Respect at WorkSeparation of Church and State Caroline Becker Valley College Abstract This paper discovers through many different published research articles and documents that report on respect in the workplace, that treatment with dignity and respect are on the top ten list with employees. The definition of respect is the same in both articles and documents. Darcy Jacobsen (Jacobsen, 2013), suggests that respect reaches further than equity, fairness, and just plain…

Words 914 - Pages 4

Essay on Separation of Church and State and Two-way Wall

of the Two-Way Wall: Exploring the Modern Notion of the Separation between Church and State Despite claims that America is a nation with a long and valued tradition of separation between church and state, the roots of this supposed separation inextricably lie within Christianity, rendering the proverbial wall of separation inherently, though perhaps not irrevocably, weak. America’s founding fathers may never have intended for church and state to be entirely independent of one another, as they undoubtedly…

Words 870 - Pages 4

Scopes Monkey Trial Research Paper

In the United States, the separation of church and government has always been an important principle since the country's founding. By the 1920s, this separation had become a hotly debated topic as the country grappled with issues of religion, politics, and social change. At the time, there was a growing concern over the influence of religious institutions on government policies and decisions. Many Americans believed that church and state should be kept separate to ensure that all citizens could practice…

Words 444 - Pages 2

The Lemon V. Kurtzman Case Summary

challenged the separation of Church and State via the Supreme Court. Foundation staff member Annie Laurie Gaylor, who presented the plaque to Lemon, said, "The 'Lemon Test' has been invoked in virtually every lawsuit the Foundation has ever taken. It is our best friend” (Gaylor 1). Due to the Lemon v. Kurtzman case, the Lemon test was created to determine whether a law could potentially establish religion in schools. Prior to Lemon v. Kurtzman, there was no separation between Church and State within the…

Words 1414 - Pages 6

Religion Should Not Influence Government

citizens and denied civil rights how would you feel? Every day in the United States minority groups are denied basic rights that ever other U.S. citizen is grated. These rights are determined by the United States government that is influenced by religious beliefs, even though our country was founded with the belief of separation of church and state. Proposition 8 Violates the separation of church and state. In the state of California Proposition 8 passed. Proposition 8 would deny gays the right…

Words 1957 - Pages 8

Why We Should Allowe Prayer Be Allowed In Schools

Constitution clearly states that we have protection of expressing our religious beliefs from the government trying to control us. But in 1801 a rumor started up that the Congregationalist denomination was about to become the national denomination. Many people went to President Thomas Jefferson with their concerns about the matter. Then on January 1, 1802 President Jefferson wrote the Danbury Baptists, assuring them that “the First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between church and state which is what…

Words 1150 - Pages 5