A fter 40 years of pastoral ministry, beginning in the civil rights movement, I thought I had heard and seen it all. The first reason for the church to reject the government's offer to become an officially sanctioned instrument of public policy was foreseen by the architects of our Constitution. In the struggles between Madison and Jefferson during the formation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, they valued freedom of the individual and self-government. They also felt that the most severe oppression conceivable is where the authorities of government and religion join forces.
Government is to stay out of the affairs of religion.
And religion, in any of its forms, is not to seek a favored position with any arm of government. Jefferson goes to great pains to argue that a government of the people, one with integrity, restraint, capable of justice, is not possible without the influence and human dignity with which biblical religion undergirds a free citizen. Thereby, he envisions not toleration of religion but its freedom. Jefferson was determined that government keep its hands off religion and that religion stand forever free to produce a person of integrity essential for democratic, popular government. This freedom from governmental entanglement was as important for these early leaders as the right to vote, habeas corpus and personal privacy.