I. Short Abstract
The State has the responsibility of meeting the needs of its subjects to the best of its ability. This means that the state should not give preference to some subjects over others. All the people under a given jurisdiction should be given equal opportunities regardless of their socio-economic statuses or their political affiliations. However, many developed and developing democracies have had a lot difficulties being in a position to separate matters of the State of that of the Church. Some states tend to give priorities to some religion over others. This in retrospect creates a state religion which means that all the other religion are not give equal attention by the state as the one that is given to the State religion. The establishment of a state religion is one of the controversial issues that surrounded the founding fathers as they drafted the American constitution (McWhirter 61). In order to maintain free and fair governance, matters regarding the Church should be kept separate. This means that judicial decisions, executive orders, and legislation should be free from Church influence.
II. Introduction
The separation of Church and State affairs has been a key principle that has been incorporated in the constitutions of many developed democracies. For instance, the establishment clause of the US constitution states that at no time should the state or local government create or establish a state religion. This is meant to make sure that all people and American citizens are treated equally without being segregated on the basis of their religion. However, there have been many cases in the US Supreme Court regarding the violation of the Establishment Clause. For instance in the supreme case Schempp v.Abington School District, 374 U.S. 203 (1963), students were obliged to say the Lord’s Prayer (Dreisbach 28).Bearing in Mind that the United States is a Multi-ethnic religion that harbored people from a wide range of cultures and religions, it is important to note that the reciting of the Lord’s Prayer made Christianity a State religion because no every member of the American citizenry is of Christian faith. This means that the action of making it mandatory for students to recite the Lord’s Prayer secluded some of the existing religions thereby violating the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution.
III. Thesis
IV. Main points
First of all, it is important to realize that the society is composed of members of have diverse needs in terms of their economic, and social political needs. In order to adequately address the needs the society the state has to provide equal opportunities to every member of the society regardless of their economic stability, social needs, and political affiliation. Therefore, the lack of separation between matters of the Church and the State creates a State Religion therefore making other religions to be secluded from enjoying the same privileges that are enjoyed by the favored religion.
Secondly, it is essential to note that the lack of matters of state and religion affects the legislative process of a given state. This means that in some incidences some important decisions can be watered down by law makers on the bases of factors that are influenced and engineered by the Church. This would mean that some key decisions for instance in the field of business not be passed on the grounds of church instigated factors like morality. This shows that the Church has the capacity of influence key factors within the State like the economy that would require a neutral ground in order to create neutral grounds for all the participants within the process
Third, the lack of separation between the Church and the State can affect how judicial decisions within a state are made. This means that at times judicial outcomes might be made by individuals who are oriented towards a given religion. Such Judicial outcomes would not be fair because the parties involved within the process might not belong to the faith that the verdict tends to lean against. This means that for the judicial process within the State to be considered as being free and fair, it has to be free of the influence of the Church both in its operation and in terms of making judicial decisions.
Fourth, it is fundamental to realize that the lack of separation between the State and the Church can create an executive who gives orders that tend to favor one religion. Considering that an elected executive is voted by people from different faith, establishing a State religion would not be an illustration of democratic accountability that the executive is supposed to give to his or her electorate in exchange of the social contract that is granted to the executive by the electorate(Hamburger 77). It is therefore fair that the state has a separation between the State and the Church so as to enhance free and fair governance within the state regardless of the religion of any member of the citizenry.
V. Conclusion
In conclusion, there should be a separation between matters of the Church and State. This is because the lack of this separation cannot create equal opportunities for all since people affiliated to some religions are given priority. In addition, the lack of separation between the matters of the State and the Church can affect judicial decisions, legislation, and executive orders.
Works Cited
Dreisbach, Daniel L. New York University Press. New York: Thomas Jefferson and
The Wall of Separation between Church and State, 2002. Print.
Hamburger, Philip. Separation of Church and State. Oxford, UK: Harvard
University Press, 2004. Print.
McWhirter, Darien Auburn. The Separation of Church and State. New York:
Greenwood publishing Group, 1994. Print.
