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CHURCH AND STATE

Some people believe that the church should stay out of politics, invoking the separation of church and state as stipulated in the Constitution.

What is often overlooked here is that the law is not necessarily addressing the church but the state in that "No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed."  (Article II, Section 6)

In short, it is not that the church should mind its own business but it is that the state be mindful of its business in protecting freedom of religion and worship.

I am of the persuasion that the church really should mind its own business which includes calling out immorality not only on a personal level but on a societal level especially at a time when it is the highest---and once respected---institutions in the land that are on the forefront in making injustice, corruption and misogynistic jokes acceptable.

The church may or may not be involved in the business of politics but it certainly must be involved in the morality of politics. After all, morality is its domain. It is its business. Take that away, what remains of the church?

Author

Elizabeth Ong

Elizabeth Ong is an author, lecturer, an app creator, and a businesswoman. She has a master's degree in Biblical Studies from Asian Theological Seminary.