The separation of church and state is the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state.
The concept of separation has been adopted in a number of countries, to varying degrees depending on the applicable legal structures and prevalent views toward the proper role of religion in society. A similar but typically stricter principle of laïcité has been applied in France and Turkey, while some socially secularized countries such as Norway, Denmark and the United Kingdom have maintained constitutional recognition of an official state religion. The concept parallels various other international social and political ideas, including secularism, disestablishment, religious liberty, and religious pluralism. Whitman (2009) observes that in many European countries, the state has, over the centuries, taken over the social roles of the church, leading to a generally secularized public sphere.
The degree of separation varies from total separation mandated by a constitution, to an official religion with total prohibition of the practice of any other religion, as in the Maldives.
Read more about Separation Of Church And State: In Various Countries, Religious Views, Friendly and Hostile Separation
Famous quotes containing the words separation, church and/or state:
“The legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, ... thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“Jesus: Senor, the widow Gomez delivered a son this morning, a boy.
Guthrie McCabe: Bully for the widow Gomez.
Jesus: But Senor, it has been more than a year ago since Senor Antonio Gomez has been buried in the church house.
McCabe: Well, there’s some men y’a just can’t trust to stay where you put ‘em.”
—Frank S. Nugent (1908–1965)
“... here hundreds sit and play Bingo; here the bright lights of Broadway burn through a sea haze; here Somebodies tumble over other Somebodies and over Nobodies as well.”
—For the State of New Jersey, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)