Thread by @Aabhas24

1/n Let's talk a bit about #Secularism in this thread.

We are told that the Western World gave us the "Secular Values" with the "Separation of State and Church (Religious Institution)" and hence State not being Religious.

But how true has it been?

2/n Till my architecture school days, I lived with the belief that the USA, UK etc are non-Christian state but the exposure to the truth baffled me, however till today they are shown as non-Christian (say Secular states).

Did you know that motto of USA comes from Bible?

3/n "In God we trust" comes from the Psalms 56.11.

Imagine, if someone proposes "Jai Siya/Shri Ram" as motto of Bharat, or even "Aham Brahmasmi".

Didn't we had bunch of people crying over "Asto ma sadgamaye..." and preaching to eat up western values?

4/n So what exactly was the matter of "Separation of Church and State for USA?"

Let's dig deeper.

It boils down to the effort of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the USA.

5/n "Separation of Church and State" is generally paraphrased from Thomas Jefferson.

It has been often used to impress upon the intent and utility of the "Establishment Clause" and "Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution".

6/n It states:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (...)"

Snippet: The hand-written copy of the proposed articles of amendment passed by Congress in 1789, showing the text (3rd article) .

7/n In 1802, Jefferson wrote a letter to Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut.

In letter he emphasized on wall between "Church and State".
Here is the link loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/…

8/n This went very well, hand in hand with what Roger Williams, a Baptist Dissenter had written a century earlier.

Source link: churchstate.org/index.php?id=1…

9/n Then came the President Madison, who was all in for separation between the Church and State.

But coincidentally both of them believed in Religion being an integral part of one's life.

Both of them were regular Church Goers and firm believer in Christianity.

10/n This portal has details about a Madison and Jefferson's close connection with Christianity.
loc.gov/exhibits/relig…

This portal also has exhibit about Jefferson's praise for Jesus where he goes on to state that he is exactly as Christian as Jesus wanted people to be.

11/n This is letter written by Jefferson to Benjamin Rush on April 21, 1803.

12/n The source shared in 10/n also tells us that State had become a church when Jefferson and Madison reigned.

Few points:
A)Jefferson began attending church services in the House of Representatives & so did Madison.

13/n B)Worship services in the House continued until after the Civil War. Jefferson did so for he thought them to be nondiscriminatory and voluntary.

C)Preachers of every Protestant denomination appeared. (Catholic priests began officiating in 1826.)

14/n D) Jan,1806 a female evangelist, Dorothy Ripley, delivered a camp meeting-style exhortation in the House to Jefferson, Vice President Aaron Burr, and a jam packed audience.

E)Throughout his administration Jefferson permitted church services in executive branch buildings.

15/n F)The Gospel was also preached in the Supreme Court chambers.

So church services were not only happening on public property both Jefferson and Madison were attending it.

16/n Now here is the interesting point, Madison who along with Jefferson is often cited as force behind establishing the wall between State and Church (read Religion) saw Luther's doctrine of the two kingdoms as the root for modern conception of separation of church and state.

17/n The source for above is a letter that Madison wrote to Schaeffer in 1821 and published in "1816-1828, Volume 3 of Letters and Other Writings of James Madison", page 243.

So what was the "Two Kingdom Doctrine" of Luther?

You will be surprised to know that it was Biblical.

18/n Luther observed contradictions in Bible. Some parts exhorted Rulers placed over them to be obeyed by Christians and to repay evil with retribution.

Contrarily, like the Sermon on the Mount, call for passivity as virtue in the face of oppression.

19/n And as solution Luther came with two kingdoms doctrine.

It was interestingly based on the doctrine"On the city of God against the pagans" by Augustine of Hippo in 5th Century AD.

20/n As per Luther's doctrine, the spiritual kingdom, shall be made up of true Christians & won't need the sword.

He explained that the biblical passages dealing with justice and retribution, are only in reference to the first kingdom.

21/n Drawing the clue from Augustine, Luther described the relationship between church & the state.

He makes below point:
A) Temporal kingdom has no authority in matters pertaining to the spiritual kingdom.

22/n B) Examples of how Roman Catholic Church were involved secular affair

He writes as below:

23/n "God has therefore ordained two regiment(s): the spiritual which by the Holy Spirit produces Christians and pious folk under Christ, and the secular which restrains un-Christian and evil folk, so that they are obliged to keep outward peace, albeit by no merit of their own."

24/n Source for 23/n
elca.org/JLE/Articles/9…

25/n So for Luther, whose doctrine set idea clear that the State would be Christian, and control un-christian, evil folks happens to be founder of idea of separation of Church and state.

Hence Secularism itself is a Christian Way. Lot more shall be explained from 26/n