SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
People often think that that means the church must not stick its nose in matters of the state. In a sense, they are correct in that they are not to busy themselves with the running of the state as if they are the government themselves. It's like the proverbial backseat driver. Keeping to their mandate means the church must not act like it is the govt and the state should not tell the church on what it should teach. That is the separation.
Now I am no lawyer. I got the lowest passing grade in the only law subjects I had (Political Science and CARP) but I am a theologian by degree with honors (ahem) so I am coming from that perspective.
Separation of church and state means either entity must not dictate upon each other. Each has its own mandate and that mandate compels each one to check and monitor the other. The church is to serve as the moral navigator of the state which in turn is to serve as the legal auditor of the church like extraditing its leader accused of sex trafficking.
Read the Old Testament. The prophets did not limit themselves to calling people to repentance but they also called out the leaders. They were never neutral. Some even resorted to name-calling: “adulterers” (Hosea 1:4), “drunkards” (Joel 1:5), "cows," (Amos 4:1), "wicked house" (Micah 6:10), "city of blood" Nahum (3:1), extortionists, plunderers and murderers (Hab 2), oppressors, rebellious and defiled (Zeph. 3:1) and robbers (Mal 3:9).
Yes, the New Testament tells us to pray and submit to govt because it yields the sword. But nowhere in Scriptures does it say we should shut up if it yields it improperly and illegally. It is during these times that the church must speak up and fulfill another aspect of its mandate of being the salt and light of the earth. Neglect this part or worse, dance with the devil, it shows that it is serving a different master.
People often think that that means the church must not stick its nose in matters of the state. In a sense, they are correct in that they are not to busy themselves with the running of the state as if they are the government themselves. It's like the proverbial backseat driver. Keeping to their mandate means the church must not act like it is the govt and the state should not tell the church on what it should teach. That is the separation.
Now I am no lawyer. I got the lowest passing grade in the only law subjects I had (Political Science and CARP) but I am a theologian by degree with honors (ahem) so I am coming from that perspective.
Separation of church and state means either entity must not dictate upon each other. Each has its own mandate and that mandate compels each one to check and monitor the other. The church is to serve as the moral navigator of the state which in turn is to serve as the legal auditor of the church like extraditing its leader accused of sex trafficking.
Read the Old Testament. The prophets did not limit themselves to calling people to repentance but they also called out the leaders. They were never neutral. Some even resorted to name-calling: “adulterers” (Hosea 1:4), “drunkards” (Joel 1:5), "cows," (Amos 4:1), "wicked house" (Micah 6:10), "city of blood" Nahum (3:1), extortionists, plunderers and murderers (Hab 2), oppressors, rebellious and defiled (Zeph. 3:1) and robbers (Mal 3:9).
Yes, the New Testament tells us to pray and submit to govt because it yields the sword. But nowhere in Scriptures does it say we should shut up if it yields it improperly and illegally. It is during these times that the church must speak up and fulfill another aspect of its mandate of being the salt and light of the earth. Neglect this part or worse, dance with the devil, it shows that it is serving a different master.