Sadly, many Americans, and even conservatives, have a misunderstanding of what “separation of church and state” really means.

First, where did it even come from?

The phrase came from Thomas Jefferson in a letter responding to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. The association had complained that the official religion in Connecticut infringed on their own liberties. 

Although he didn’t directly help them, Jefferson had this to say in response:

“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

Of course, there are a few inconsistencies in Jefferson’s thinking. For instance:

  • Religion is not merely a matter which lies between the individual and God. The implications of religion are limitless. They can go in a good direction (the United States with its Christian foundations) or a bad direction (middle eastern countries that produce Islamic extremists). 
  • Legitimate powers of government do not reach actions only. Opinions (or beliefs) of men absolutely have an impact on law making.

Those aside, here is what Jefferson is saying when referencing the separation between church and state: there should not be a state-sponsored church. There should be no “First Church of the United States” that forces things upon all of its members. 

This is quite a different idea than the meaning commonly connected with separation of church and state, namely, that we should keep God out of legislative decision making. This is a false interpretation of what Jefferson was saying.

Separation of church and state does not mean separation of God and state.

We need God’s Word to direct how we make laws. It is the only standard by which we know what true righteousness is.