FAITH: Church as the conscience of a nation

We all have heard the comment “but what about separation of church and state?”

In truth, the United States has never been committed to separation. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution or in the Bill of Rights are the words separation of church and state ever used. No piece of legislation has ever become law that calls for separation of church and state.

The basic description of the relationship of church and state is set in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Amendment sets forth two provisions. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” The second provision does not allow any prohibition of “the free exercise thereof.” The first provision is commonly called the “establishment” clause, and the second is called the “free exercise” clause. The language clearly says that government is to stay out of the realm of religion. What should be noted is that the First Amendment does NOT prohibit the involvement of religion in government.

The United State was established as a nation of law. While our systems of law are a bit frustrating at times, they have served the nation very well. We have two legislative bodies to create, amend, and repeal laws. Laws are required to have administrative signature, but the signature of the president is subject to veto by a larger majority of the legislative bodies. Administrative officers are then required to enforce the laws enacted by legislators. If disputes arise about the meaning or administration of a law, appeal is made to the court system. The determinations of the courts are final. High courts are led by judges, who are appointed for life service.

The American system of law is probably the most complicated governing system in the world. Governing in America involves constant argument. We argue in legislative bodies; we argue in court rooms (1/2 of all attorneys are wrong.) We argue through our daily papers and national magazines. We argue in our boardrooms and our coffee shops. When the systems are working, the arguments end with a handshake, a hug, and friendships. The system is messy, cumbersome, and time consuming. BUT IT WORKS. It has worked for almost 250 years and we have barely scratched the surface of the greatness that a nation can achieve.

We Americans have achieved great things in many ways, but a flaw appears in real life. AMERICA HAS LAWS, BUT IT HAS NO CONSCIENCE. A nation of laws can produce order, but it cannot produce the compassionate society that can be called the highest and best. This is where churches and other religious bodies can play a role in taking our nation to a greatness that can never be achieved by a nation of law that has no conscience. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke a great truth when he said “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state.”

Those who call for separation of church and state deny the responsibility of devout people to speak truth to power. In Christian theology, justice is not done until everyone is made whole. One of our roles is to be the conscience of the nation and of the world.

Believers have no choice. We live in nations governed by laws. In the history of followers of Jesus from Nazareth, there is no confession that speaks more inclusively that “Jesus is Lord.” Our commitments are never placed in a second position. Our commitments are international and inclusive of all. The commitment of Martin Luther King Jr. to our Lord Jesus led him to be a law breaker many times. He went to prison many times for breaking laws of our nation. We now honor him by a monument in our nation’s capital.

The dynamics of our nation has now turned away from housing, education, food and safety for all to a selfish dynamic of meritocracy that has increased the wealth of the super wealthy and the expansion of poverty. Homelessness is rampant and education has become segregated, not on the basis of race but based on wealth. The race to meritocracy shows no concern for the poverty and suffering that is being left in its wake.

When Christians confess that Christ is Lord, we must recognize who Jesus was and what he did in his lifetime. He was born in poverty. He lived in the midst of poverty. He advocated for the people around him who were little more than slaves to the wealth and power of the Romans and their rich cooperators. From the beginning the Christian movement was a protest movement that demanded hospitality for all. Jesus died for being an insurrectionist. Jesus was the conscience of his own day. Today’s believers do not dare be anything less.

I consider myself a loyal American. I want the very best for my nation; but I desire the best no less for every nation in the world. I want an aggressive Christian Church that will speak truth and justice with a Christ driven conscience. The human family deserves no less.The End

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer, Alaska. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.