Separation of Church and State

We live in a world where freedom is often taken for granted. People have the liberty to think, speak, and believe as they choose. But there's a key point we sometimes forget, especially in heated discussions about the role of religion in public life. The separation of church and state wasn’t just a good idea—it was one of the most revolutionary concepts to emerge from the Enlightenment. It shaped the very foundation of modern democracies, including the United States.

There’s a common misconception out there today: some people claim that the Founding Fathers of the U.S. intended this nation to be a "Christian nation." That they envisioned a government built on Christian ideals, with the Bible as its guiding document. But if we take a closer look at history, that’s just not what the record says. So where does this misunderstanding come from? And why does it matter in the modern world?

The Enlightenment: A New Wave of Thinking

The 17th and 18th centuries were a time of profound change in the Western world. This was the period historians call The Enlightenment, or the “Age of Reason.” For the first time in centuries, thinkers such as John Locke, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Immanuel Kant, and many others started questioning age-old beliefs and traditions.

Kant famously said, “Dare to know!” — meaning, in order to progress as a society, we must be brave enough to challenge what we've been told. It was a call not against religion, but for reason and open inquiry. It wasn’t about rejecting faith itself; it was about rejecting the idea that any institution—whether the church, monarchy, or government—should dictate our thoughts or lives without question.

In many countries at that time, religion and government were deeply intertwined. This gave rulers immense power, often unchecked. The church, far from being a purely spiritual guide, was a tool of control. But the Enlightenment vision was different. It proposed a society where human reason, not religious dogma, was the foundation for law and government. All people, regardless of their beliefs, deserved equal rights in the public sphere. This would be a society where individuals could believe what they wished personally, but the government would not endorse or impose one belief system over another.

The Founding Fathers and the Secular State

The Enlightenment’s ideas landed like a thunderbolt in the American colonies. It’s important to remember that the Founding Fathers—names like Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, and Washington—were voracious readers of Enlightenment philosophy. They were deeply influenced by thinkers like Locke, who emphasized natural rights and government by consent, and Montesquieu, who advocated for the separation of powers.

Let’s be clear: many of the Founding Fathers were not strictly devout Christians in the way we might picture them today. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, famously created his own version of the Bible, cutting out parts related to miracles and divinity, keeping only Jesus' moral teachings. He referred to “a wall of separation between church and state.” This wasn’t because they were anti-religious, but because they understood history.

They had seen what happens when religion becomes a tool of the state. They knew it could easily be used to control, divide, and manipulate citizens. In Europe, Catholics battled Protestants for centuries, and too often, governments picked religious sides to bolster their power. America’s Founders wanted none of that. They aspired to create something revolutionary—a government that did not impose one religion but allowed all people the freedom to practice (or not practice) faith as they saw fit.

That’s why the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the government from establishing any one faith. It’s freedom of religion and freedom from religion when it comes to the government enacting laws.

If it weren’t for the Enlightenment, we might never have had such a revolutionary idea. In fact, without the Enlightenment, there’s a good chance America itself wouldn’t exist.

A World-Wide Revolution

But here’s something even more important to remember: this wasn’t just an "American" experiment. The Enlightenment—and its call to separate church and state—was a global movement. It wasn’t about creating a specific type of government for one country. It was about creating a foundation for human freedom everywhere.

Revolutions in France, Haiti, Latin America, and later, throughout the world, drew from the same principles. The idea that governments exist to serve the people—all people—was radical, but it resonated globally.

Religion, in many parts of the world, had long been a justification for oppression. Sometimes, the rulers used it to crush dissent. Other times, it was used to keep people divided—to make sure they identified more with their tribe or sect than with their fellow human beings. Enlightenment thinkers realized that if we wanted to create a world where liberty and equality flourish, political and religious power had to be separated. Not because faith is wrong, but because when faith becomes a tool of government, it can be used to justify almost anything—good or bad.

Separation of Church and State: A Legacy We Must Protect

Fast forward to today, and the world still wrestles with this idea. In the U.S., there are growing voices arguing for a return to religious influence in government. Some claim that the Founding Fathers intended a "Christian nation," and they question modern secularism. This concern extends beyond America’s borders too. In many places, countries are still struggling to protect individual freedoms from the overwhelming influence of state-sanctioned religion.

But here’s what we must remember: faith matters. For many, it offers a sense of purpose, belonging, and hope. However, that’s different from it being entangled with the operations of government. Secular government does not mean anti-religion; it means that the government’s job is to serve all people, regardless of their faith—or their lack of it.

That’s what’s at stake, and in this New Age of Reason, we must continue to advocate for protection from power plays that use religion as a shield or tool for political gain.

So, when someone tells you the Founding Fathers wanted a Christian nation, remember this: they experienced firsthand what happens when government uses faith as a tool of control. They understood, thanks to the Enlightenment, that true freedom requires keeping politics and religion separate. They valued both personal faith and public democracy. Each needs room to breathe without being stifled by the other.

That’s one of the best ideas to come out of the Enlightenment. It’s not just essential to the United States—it’s essential to building any just and free society.