A Letter Concerning Separation
Dear Oliver Cromwell, It is apparent that our country is currently suffering from disorder. To avoid making matters worse, I urge you to consider my ideas regarding the church and state. As a country, it is crucial for us to find an identity that will prevent future civil wars and further national turmoil. The majority of our nation’s violence and conflicts are mainly contributed by the involvement of religion within our government. The separation of church and state is not only necessary for maintaining order, but also to demonstrate the need for two separate orders. Charles I is a perfect example of what not to do in regards of politics and religion. By forcefully imposing the Church of England on his citizens, he completely ostracized himself from the majority of Europe. He attempted to enforce the Book of Common Prayer upon Scotland, which was very unwelcome by the Scottish. Consequently, Scotland allied with Parliament creating more controversy. We must learn from his mistakes and recognize why the church and state should become two distinct powers. The government and the church each have their own set of responsibilities. Because of this fact, religion has no reason to make any contributions in the government’s decision making. The duties of the magistrate are to protect the life, liberty, and the general welfare of the nation, whereas the church deals with the salvation of men’s souls. There is no overlap among these two, which means neither of them should influence another. The church is a voluntary society of people. Citizens are not required to participate in their beliefs and practices, so the government’s decisions should have no association with the church. The church and state must be separated because if the government is imposing a particular religion on its people, “true belief” can never be achieved.