The
Northeastern Ohio Synod's Church in Society Committee has discussed how to
address the issue of the separation of church and state. The following
"teaching point" was approved by the committee on September 29,1999
and the committee submits it to the Northeastern Ohio Synod Council for
consideration.
How do
you answer, "'I believe in the separation of Church and State; the Church
should not get involved in politics"?
The First Amendment says,
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The main purpose of the writers
was to keep government from giving preferential treatment to any one religion,
or from placing restrictions on peoples' right to practice the religion of
their choice. It does not say that the churches cannot seek to influence
government. Prohibiting that would be "prohibiting the free exercise
thereof."' The church has always had the right to influence
social/political issues. The elimination of slavery, giving women the right to
vote and civil rights are examples of the churches' influence.
The word politics has two meanings:
"the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing government
policy," and "the art or science concerned with winning and holding
control over a government." The first is appropriate activity for
churches, but when churches become involved in elections of individuals (the
second meaning), they violate the original intention that one religion should
not control government.
Our ELCA Social Statement, "'The
Church in Society: A Lutheran Perspective," says:
"...this church shall .. work ..
using its power and influence with political and economic decision making
bodies to develop and advocate policies that seek to advance justice, peace
and care of creation..."
