Separation of church and state

The separation of church and state is a concept and philosophy in modern thought and practice, whereby the structures of state or national government are proposed as needing to be separate from those of religious institutions. The concept has long been a topic of political debate throughout history. The term "church" in Western civilization is usually associated with Christianity. However, the phrase as a whole refers to religion and religious institutions in general and its/their relationship to government. In countries where other religions are dominant, the words mosque, temple, or synagogue are often substituted.

Motivations

There are a number of proposed reasons to support a separation of church and state:

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• Historically, members of a non-majority religion often find themselves persecuted, socially shunned, and harassed. This can lead to social instability or even civil war.
• The church might harm the state. For example, religious conviction might cause the state to become involved in a disastrous war, or to remain pacific when force is necessary for the preservation of the state. It may also influence public policies in a manner detrimental to those who do not follow all the church's teachings; for instance, historically, the Catholic Church had its views of baptism enforced, which led to persecution and emigration to the United States by dissenting groups. In addition, religious conviction may make political debate difficult, it being impossible to contradict arguments which, essentially, arise from personal faith. Granting them official status allows politicians to use religion as an argument from authority.
• The state might harm the church. For example, the state might dictate a religious ceremony that the church's dogma declares is wrong; or, the state may force the participation of religious people in some aspect of civic life in a manner that offends their religious convictions and offends their conscience (for instance, State Shinto in Japan); or, the state may discriminate in favor of one church and against members of other churches.