The (Lack of) Separation of Church and State
It is common knowledge within American society that the first amendment to the US Constitution states that Congress “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” In Thomas Jefferson’s words, the framers viewed any governmental control of citizens’ religious beliefs as “tyranny over the mind of man.” Americans too often mistake, perhaps idealistically, this strict separation between the institution of the church and the institution of the state as a complete separation between religion and politics. In reality, religion, specifically Christianity, runs through the bloodstream of American politics.
The framers did not intend to create a government void of religious influence. The enlightenment ideals upon which the framers formed modern democracy stemmed from religious beliefs, not in spite of them. By the time of the American Revolution, Christianity held a tight grasp on Western society that made it inseparable from political values. This is most evident through the document responsible for the United States’ inception. The Declaration of Independence states that American independence rests upon a social contract rooted in the belief that all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” This religious rhetoric in governmental documents remains remarkably prevalent today. This morning, millions of American schoolchildren pledged their allegiance to the flag of “one nation under God,” as is still required in 47 states. The country’s financial stability rests upon currency that declares in large, bold letters “IN GOD WE TRUST.” While we may not think of it often, religion’s influence is prevalent in our everyday lives because of government action.
Political philosophy and rhetoric aside, religion has a tangible impact on American government today; Christianity dominates when it comes to who actually makes up the government. 96% of American Presidents and 92% of Supreme Court Justices have been Christian. Today, President Biden is Christian, 8 out of the 9 Supreme Court Justices are Christian, and 88% of the members of the 117th Congress were Christian.
Because a majority of voters are Christian, these religious values continue to strongly influence public opinion, and therefore the American government. 40% of voters believe it is important for the President to share their religious beliefs, and most of those voters are Christian. This trend does not only apply to who makes up the government, but also what values the government is enforcing through law. 50% of Americans believe that the Bible should influence federal law, 28% of whom believe that its influence should be stronger than that of the American people. Overall, 69% of Americans think it's important for the government to stand up for their religious beliefs.
These statistics, however, differ greatly between political parties. For instance, 61% of Democrats believe that religion has too much power in the GOP, while only 18% of Republicans agree. Conversely, 71% of Republicans think that non-religious liberals have too much influence on the Democratic party, while only 15% of Democrats agree. Not only do Democrats and Republicans disagree on the optimal amount of religious influence within each party, they also differ in their views on the role of government regarding religion. While 38% of Republicans think that the government should increase their support of religious values, 84% of Democrats disagree with this sentiment. Overall, while the majority of Americans allow their religious beliefs to inform their political opinions, this trend is even stronger within the Republican party.
While American politics are still strongly impacted by religious beliefs, as the country gets less religious, the influence has been diminishing in the past decade. In 2019, 26% of Americans identify as religiously unaffiliated which is a 30 million person increase since 2009. This decline in religion is more prevalent among Democrats, where there has been a 17% drop as opposed to Republicans’ 7% drop. This lack of religious affiliation is increasing most significantly among younger generations. While only 9% of the Silent Generation identify as unaffiliated with religion, 34% of Generation Z identify this way. As the Silent Generation and Baby Boomer populations continue to decline in size, the prevalence of religious tradition declines as well.
As a result of the diminishing importance of religion to younger Americans, political beliefs are beginning to inform religious beliefs rather than vice versa. Issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, in which young people’s liberal beliefs conflict with traditional Christian views, are motivating some to change their religious affliation. 25% of American adults say they’ve considered switching religions, or unaffiliating with religion altogether, as a result of their political views, while 52% have “shopped” for more liberal churches that fit align with their politics. This reverse correlation is growing as the average American is growing more political and less religious.
While Americans are not as religious in 2023 as 1776, Christianity continues to run through the bloodstream of American politics. Despite the separation of church and state established through the first amendment, Christianity significantly impacts the federal government; from rhetoric in foundational documents to the beliefs of current elected officials, religion clearly has remained a prominent aspect of political life. While the majority of Americans prefer politics to be influenced by religion, this view is held more strongly within the Republican party and among older Americans. As younger generations get less religious, political opinions are beginning to influence religious beliefs, not just vice versa. In the coming decades, Americans should be on the lookout for the results of this trend. As religious values fade from Americans’ political priorities, the stability of political parties, the configuration of leadership in the federal government, and the prominence of the partisan divide are liable to shift in significant and important ways.