What political offices can't a Roman Catholic hold?

Answer 1

Within the UK, a Roman Catholic may still not be allowed to marry the heir to the throne. Thus, HRH Prince Charles, the heir to the throne currently occupied by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would not have been allowed to marry either Diana nor Camilla Parker Bowles if either were Roman Catholics. The reason for this is historical. The British monarch has been, since the time of Henry VIII, the Supreme Governor under God of the Church of England. If a monarch who married a Roman catholic were to have children, the Roman Catholic Church would insist that their children be brought up Catholics, as this is the norm for a mixed marriage. When the oldest child then took over the throne you would get the bizarre situation of a Roman Catholic becoming the Supreme Govenor of a Protestant church, which would simply not be allowed to happen, either by the Roman Catholics, nor by the constitution of the UK. ---- In the United States, a person's religious affiliation - or lack thereof - constitutes no official bar to their holding public office, from president of a neighborhood citizens' association, to Justice of the Supereme Court, to President of the land. In some localities with many voters of another religious persuasion, however, a Catholic, or a Jew, or a Muslim might find it an uphill battle persuading the locals to vote for him.