The phrase “separation of church and state” is widely misunderstood. Often, it’s raised as an argument against Christians who engage in politics. Yet, the separation of church and state is nowhere in the U.S. Constitution nor any founding documents. Rather, it can be found in a personal letter penned by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptist Association. In the name of religious freedom, Jefferson wrote not that the church should stay out of government affairs, but that government affairs have no place interfering with the church.
In his 2024 election sermon, Cornerstone Chapel Senior Pastor Gary Hamrick explained how in our country’s history, “[T]he church has always played … a critical role in speaking out about faith and politics and how faith should shape our politics.” Over time, he acknowledged, “Jefferson’s phrase [concerning the] separation of church and state … letter has been used to remove God from the public square and to remove church from government influence.” Rather than protecting our First Amendment rights, those in opposition have sought to intimidate “a lot of pastors from addressing things that are referred to as political in the pulpit.”
But as believers, we can’t afford to allow these tactics to push us back into the shadows of fear. Consider Jesus’s words from Matthew 5:13-16:
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” […]
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