Church and State
By Editorial Staff
Published May 2008
Some Common Misunderstandings
By Don Long
Under the guise of the First Amendment, sometimes called the “Separation of Church and State amendment,” the United States government has discouraged the public practice of the Christian faith. The U.S. Supreme Court banned the posting of the Ten Commandments in public buildings. It has banned prayer in public schools. The government continues an aggresive stand against any display of religious faith in civic areas or other public lands. This is not right. The purpose of the First Amendment was not to withdraw Christianity from society, but to protect it from government manipulation.
Christianity not only played a major role in America’s independence, but also in the formation of this new country’s government. References to God, the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the Creator abound in such historical documents as the Declaration of Independence, the Mayflower Compact, and the Articles of Confederation. In addition to this the symbols of this nations’ faith, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Liberty Bell, and scores of others, all have verses from the Bible engraved upon them. These memorials and historical documents testify to the fact that Christians took the leadership in our country.
Prompted by religion, and the freedom to worship God according the dictates of Scripture and conscience, many early colonists came to this land. A major cause of the colonies breaking away from the British was England’s attempt to establish a national religion in the colonies. The colonists felt it was not government’s role to regulate Christianity.
The First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This amendment prohibits government from establishing a national religion. It guarantees the free exercise of religion without entanglement by the government. It is not a mandate requiring the elimination of Christian influence on society.
Religion and government are inseparable. Government laws and regulations are based on people’s convictions. Convictions are based on people’s beliefs concerning right and wrong. Theft is illegal because it is believed to be wrong. Any belief in a standard higher than one’s own self constitutes a religion. Government merely reflects the religious view of a nation. It should not control that view. – continued on the next page
The current distorted view of the First Amendment has brought about the government intrusion into religion which the amendment was to protect people from. It prohibits the free exercise of religion. There is nothing in the First Amendment to suggest the separation of Church and State; that is like suggesting people should not be involved in government.
Don Long is a member of CHANGE.
Forerunner - Home » Pass The Word » Pass The Word - May/June 1996
Your comments are welcome!
The Four Keys to the Millennium (Book)
Foundations in Biblical Eschatology
By Jay Rogers, Larry Waugh, Rodney Stortz, Joseph Meiring. High quality paperback, 167 pages.
All Christians believe that their great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will one day return. Although we cannot know the exact time of His return, what exactly did Jesus mean when he spoke of the “sign of His coming” (Mat. 24)? How are we to interpret the prophecies in Isaiah regarding the time when “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:19)? Should we expect a time of great tribulation or reformation and revival before the Lord returns? Is the devil bound now, and are the saints reigning with Christ? Did you know that there are four hermeneutical approaches to the book of Daniel and Revelation? These, and more questions, are dealt with by four authors as they present the four views on the millennium. Each view is then critiqued by the other three authors.
$9.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
Martin Luther (DVD) 1953 Classic
Niall MacGinnis – Digitally Remastered
The dramatic classic film of Martin Luther’s life was released in theaters worldwide in the 1950s and was nominated for two Oscars. A magnificent depiction of Luther and the forces at work in the surrounding society that resulted in his historic reforming efforts, this film traces Luther’s life from a guilt-burdened monk to his eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church.
In spite of its age, this film continues to be a popular resource to introduce Luther’s life. This historical epic captures the life and times of the greatest figure of the Protestant Reformation with depth and clarity, while giving a glimpse at the private man in the eye of the storm. Luther’s protest against the established order of the Church gave birth to one of the largest religious and cultural movements history and serves as a prime example of how one man’s spiritual convictions can change the course of human events.
Running Time: 105 minutes
$9.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism (DVD)
Download the Free on-line Study Guide!
Just what is Calvinism?
Does this teaching make man a deterministic robot and God the author of sin? What about free will? If the church accepts Calvinism, won’t evangelism be stifled, perhaps even extinguished? How can we balance God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility? What are the differences between historic Calvinism and hyper-Calvinism? Why did men like Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, Whitefield, Edwards and a host of renowned Protestant evangelists embrace the teaching of predestination and election and deny free will theology?
This is the first video documentary that answers these and other related questions. Hosted by Eric Holmberg, this fascinating three-part, four-hour presentation is detailed enough so as to not gloss over the controversy. At the same time, it is broken up into ten “Sunday-school-sized” sections to make the rich content manageable and accessible for the average viewer.
Running Time: 257 minutes
$19.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
The Beast of Revelation: Identified (DVD)
Who is the dreaded beast of Revelation?
Now at last, a plausible candidate for this personification of evil incarnate has been identified (or re-identified). Ken Gentry’s insightful analysis of scripture and history is likely to revolutionize your understanding of the book of Revelation — and even more importantly — amplify and energize your entire Christian worldview!
Historical footage and other graphics are used to illustrate the lecture Dr. Gentry presented at the 1999 Ligonier Conference in Orlando, Florida. It is followed by a one-hour question and answer session addressing the key concerns and objections typically raised in response to his position. This presentation also features an introduction that touches on not only the confusion and controversy surrounding this issue — but just why it may well be one of the most significant issues facing the Church today.
Ideal for group meetings, personal Bible study — for anyone who wants to understand the historical context of John’s famous letter “… to the seven churches which are in Asia.” (Revelation 1:4)
Running Time: 145 minutes
$17.95 — ORDER NOW!
Click here for more information
Dr. Francis Schaeffer - A Christian Manifesto (DVD)
That Swiss Hermit Strikes Again!
Dr. Schaeffer, who was one of the most influential Christian thinkers in the twentieth century, shows that secular humanism has displaced the Judeo-Christian consensus that once defined our nation’s moral boundaries. Law, education, and medicine have all been reshaped for the worse as a consequence. America’s dominant worldview changed, Schaeffer charges, when Christians weren’t looking.
Schaeffer lists two reasons for evangelical indifference: a false concept of spirituality and fear. He calls on believers to stand against the tyranny and moral chaos that come when humanism reigns-and warns that believers may, at some point, be forced to make the hard choice between obeying God or Caesar. A Christian Manifesto is a thought-provoking and bracing Christian analysis of American culture and the obligation Christians have to engage the culture with the claims of Christ.
$19.95 — ORDER NOW!
