The way Christianity is most often practiced in the United States (and other Western countries) today, we need the permission of the governments to continue practicing in such a way.

We depend on zoning laws for our buildings and parking lots. We depend on tax-exemptions to make our mortgage payments. We depend on 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable donations to receive our income.

If the government stepped in and did away with just these three things, but did not make Christianity illegal, I fear that most Christian churches would fold. Western Christianity depends upon such things for survival, which means that we depend upon our government for survival.

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From a practical standpoint, a case can be made against the freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.

Christianity Thrives where Christianity is Illegal

If one looks throughout the world and throughout history, the places and eras where Christianity is the most vibrant, faithful, effective, and Spirit-led, are the places where Christianity is illegal.

It seems that when governments put their stamp of approval on Christianity as a religion, or when governments step back and allow people to worship as they see fit, it is then that Christian vibrancy and faithfulness suffers.

Christianity Dies where Christianity Rules

But worse yet is when Christianity becomes the state religion. Some of the bloodiest and cruelest eras in history have been when Christianity gained the power of the state and became the official religion of the government. The crimes that are committed in the name of Christ by “Christian governments” are some of the worst the world has ever seen.

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I am glad that I live in a country that offers the freedom of religion. It would not be pleasant to live where I would be fearful for my life and liberty simply for owning a Bible or gathering with other believers to pray and worship God. Living in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want about God and worship God as we see fit is a great privilege and a great benefit.

But is the freedom of religion a guaranteed right? The first amendment to the constitution contains these words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Since this amendment is part of what is known as “The Bill of Rights” many people believe that the freedom of religion is a “right.” We demand this right, fight for this right, and sue other people and organizations whom we feel infringe upon this right.

The Separation of Church and State

I am not a constitutional scholar, but let us consider the idea of the “freedom of religion” from several angles. First, let us look at the freedom of religion from a historical and political perspective. The section of the First Amendment to the Constitution which deals with religion is known as “The Establishment Clause.” It says that congress will make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Politicians, theologians, judges, and constitutional lawyers have debated for centuries what exactly this means, but it is from this statement that people get the idea about “the separation of church and state.”

The Separation of Church and State is Not in the Constitution

Strictly speaking, the idea of “the separation of church and state” is not in the constitution. Most people think it is, but the constitution says nothing of the sort. It simply has the Establishment Clause, which is interpreted in various ways, one of them being “the separation of church and state,” which in turn is sufficiently ambiguous to be applied in numerous different fashions.

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When the founding fathers wrote about the pursuit of happiness, they had something else in mind than what is often thought of today.

When the founding fathers wrote about the pursuit of happiness in the Declaration of Independence, they had in mind the idea that governments should follow the example of God in respecting individuals to make their own decisions, and treat everyone equally and fairly under the law. As long as a citizen lived their life in such a manner, they could reasonably expect to receive no interference from the government and, if their plans were successful, would achieve the dreams and goals they had for their life.

I am not certain that this idea is exactly found in Scripture, but regardless of what the original founders thought about the pursuit of happiness, and whether or not it is actually taught in Scripture, the pursuit today is not so much happiness, but pleasure or personal fulfillment, even when such things come at the expense of others. The pursuit of happiness and personal pleasure is nothing short of hedonism (see The Myth of a Christian Nation, p. 87).

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