Understanding the Church-State Relationship in Ethical Matters

Now, what Western society learned apparently from the bloody persecutions of sixteenth and seventeenth century was that when a particular religion is elevated to a privileged position by the state, that is, when a particular religion is, as we call it, 'established,' then all of the powers of that government -- the power of the sword, the power of the army and so on -- may be brought to bear, to squelch and to persecute those who have a differing religious viewpoint. [00:02:15]

The first is that in this nation guaranteed by the Constitution, all religions will have the right of free expression. That, of course, as you know, ladies and gentlemen, is the First Amendment of the United States, but it's only part of the First Amendment and it's only part of the clause with which the church is so jealously concerned. The First Amendment in the Constitution also explicitly prohibit the establishment of religion. [00:03:33]

But I'm afraid that in recent years, the very idea of separation of church and state has come to mean one of two things -- the divorce of church and state. As if these two institutions were intrinsically and essentially mutually exclusive opponents. That was not the original idea. If it were the original idea, the framers of our constitution would not have stressed so heavily the inalienable right of free exercise of religion. [00:08:32]

Now, of course that does not mean that the church is saying that the state is the ultimate authority. The church is not trying to commit treason against God by submitting to the state but rather the church understands its responsibility of obeying the civil magistrates as actually being a part of the church's duty as declared by God. That God said that 'If you're going to obey me then you must also obey the rulers who I have placed over you.' [00:11:55]

In simple terms, ladies and gentlemen, that means that in the original concept of this distinction of church and state, the state recognized that the state was not autonomous, that the state was not a law unto itself but that the state itself is under God. And to be under God means to be accountable to His authority. [00:13:19]

Most churches, historically, all the way back to Old Testament Israel have seen that part of their religious duty was to exercise what is called 'prophetic criticism' to the culture in which they live. John the Baptist, you remember, was executed by King Herod because John the Baptist made a criticism of the King's ethical behavior. [00:17:56]

I said earlier that the New Testament, for example, stresses that Christians are to bend over backwards to be models of civic obedience to honor the state, to honor the king, to honor the prince, to honor the government rather than to be rebellious and anarchist in their mentality unless, or until, the state commands the church to do something that God forbids or forbids the church from doing something that God commands. [00:19:05]

The first, ladies and gentlemen, is to maintain, to defend, to protect and to promote human life. That's the raison d'etat of human government. Government exists to protect the lives of its people. Secondly, to protect the property of its people. And then also, as I said, the second most basic thing really is defined in terms of the establishment and promotion of justice. [00:25:01]

But when the state fails to be the state, when the state becomes lax in defending and promoting and maintaining human life, when the state loses a passionate commitment to justice, then ladies and gentlemen, the church must speak and every Christian is called to speak and to vote on these areas. No Christian ever has the right to vote for his own personal vested interests. [00:27:48]

I mean what else do we legislate but morality? What else do we legislate as government, but those matters that are intensely ethical. Ladies and gentlemen, whether or not you steal from your neighbor is an ethical and moral issue. Whether or not you drive your automobile on the highway with reckless abandon in a way that makes you a clear and present danger to anybody that happens to come in your path is a moral issue. [00:29:41]

Don't you see that when we are in the arena of legislation, we are dealing with profoundly ethical issues, none perhaps or deeply ethical than this question of abortion. My convictions on abortion have been strongly influenced by my religious convictions and my theological convictions. Does that mean now that as a Christian, I'm disenfranchised from speaking on this question? [00:31:00]

And it is the responsibility of the state to be the state, to promote justice, to defend life, to protect life wherever that life is found. [00:32:23]