When was the separation of church and state put into effect?

Answer 1

Answer

Separation of church and state was an idea thought up by Thomas Jefferson it is an idea and NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION like many people think its is meant to say that we should worship are own god and that the government will not tell us who to worship.

Another Answer

Jefferson may have borrowed the phrase "wall of separation" from the work of Roger Williams, whose 1644 book The Bloody Tenent of Persecution read: "...a hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world..."

Politically, both James Madison and Thomas Jefferson were proponents of the concept. Jefferson wrote those specific words in an 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptists (Connecticut), who were concerned that the government may abridge their rights in favor of the dominant Congregationalist church. These fears had their origin in the British adoption of an official state religion, under which many smaller groups suffered persecution in the 18th century and earlier.

Jefferson wrote:

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their "legislature" should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties."

The "separation of church and state" is implied in the Constitution's First Amendment Establishment Clause, where "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." has been widely interpreted to mean that the government should not involve itself in religion in any way, including providing funds to support religious teaching in public schools, or allowing organized prayer in activities or facilities that receive government funds.

The First Amendment's freedom of religion includes the freedom to refrain from practicing a religion or having someone else's religious rituals inflicted upon a person in a public (non-religious) setting.

Amendment I

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Answer

Thomas Jefferson was the first person to use the term "separation of Church and State" and he used it in his journals. He used it to explain that the State has no business interfering with religion; whether it be establishing a national one or preventing someone from following a particular one or whatever reason.

He never mentioned, however, anything about keeping Religion out of the State and in fact encouraged its involvement. But today's society is scared of religion and have twisted the words of our second President.

Answer 2

Absolute separation of church and state has never occurred. The idea began under Roger Williams, who founded the colony of Rhode Island.

The current rule prohibits Establishment of Religion which means the government will not pay any organization to perform religious services. The government will not interfere with religious activities.

Thus, the government can hire an organization mainly involved in religious activities to perform a secular activity. A complete separation does not exist. (US Supreme Court 1985).

Another Perspective

Separation of church and state took place in all practicality with the passage of the FIrst Amendment which reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . . ." The First Amendment separated church from state by making religious worship free from government interference and prohibiting the establishment of a state religion. For people who cannot understand that concept, the phrase "separation of church and state" is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson addressed to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptist Association which was published in a Massachusetts newspaper.

Answer 3

It was never put into effect. They never meant to make this big of a problem. They meant it as a way to keep state away from churches affairs.