“One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Millions of American students recite this pledge every morning in their schools. These religious tones are something many have become accustomed to and unconcerned with over time. However, these words raise concerns about a supposed principle upon which our nation is built: the separation of church and state. In recent years, this separation has eroded to near nonexistence. We must rebuild this divide between our religious beliefs and the authority that governs all people, religious or not, in order to truly uphold the standard of liberty and justice for all.
The separation of church and state was originally developed to protect religious institutions from government infringement. In recent years, however, this idea has shifted, with the true battle now focused on keeping religion from influencing government decisions.
Historically, the separation of church and state has not always been a principle of our nation. Thankfully, the United States does not have an official religion. However, with two-thirds of adults in the country identifying as Christian, many Christian beliefs bleed into government decisions.
For quite some time, the influence of religion on government rulings was debatable and mainly considered hearsay. However, this changed when Louisiana decided in October 2024 to require all schools to post the Ten Commandments in their classrooms.
Louisiana’s new requirement did not stand alone. Oklahoma quickly followed, mandating the teaching of the Bible in all classrooms along with the Ten Commandments. According to Oklahoma’s state superintendent of education, the goal was “ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country.” This reasoning directly disregards the large population of Americans who follow different religions or who are not religious at all. These new requirements aim to exclude and polarize students who do not adhere to the Christian beliefs being taught.
The argument often made to back up these new requirements is that they hold historical significance and are foundational to the country’s founding. The question must be asked: Is this a valid point? Do religious texts such as the Bible and the Ten Commandments hold enough historical significance to warrant their teaching in schools?
Once again, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of education, the same person who wrote the bill requiring Bible teaching, stated, “The Bible was cited more than any other document in the 1600s and 1700s’ political writings. It is a momentous historical source. We will bring it back to our schools.” He continued, “And we feel very confident in President Trump’s nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court, who are originalists and will look at the Constitution.”
While this argument may hold some significance, claiming that it upholds the true values outlined in the Constitution raises issues. For instance, the Constitution makes no mention of God or Christianity. The claim that the Bible is a historically significant text also fails, as many historians do not consider the Bible a reliable historical reference text.
Even if these texts were historically significant, we would also need to consider the historical significance of other religious texts. After all, if the Bible is that important within the history of our world, mustn’t the Quran be just as significant?
These lawmakers have made no effort to include other religious beliefs in their bills. This points to one clear reasoning: These lawmakers want to teach a way of thinking without the infringement of others, and with the new leadership in our country, they feel safe to do so.
Sadly, this issue is not new. In recent years, we have seen religious beliefs influence significant government decisions. One of the most notable instances is the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Many people were overjoyed with the decision to end the federal right to an abortion in the United States, citing the Bible as a basis for the ruling. It is well known that one of the core beliefs of many Christians is that life begins at conception.
If these abortion bans are not made with Christianity in mind, why is there no concern for those in our country who are Jewish, whose religion permits and even encourages abortion in cases where the mother’s life is in danger? While nationwide abortion bans satisfy many people’s religious beliefs and interpretations, they directly contradict others. This is the core issue.
There is nothing wrong with religion. Religion can be a beautiful way to navigate life, offering significant good. It often encourages kindness, service to others, and seeing the bigger picture of our place in the world. However, one of the principles upon which our country is built is religious freedom. When we allow religion to influence government rulings, no matter how small, we open the door to the complete ostracization of other major religions in our country, as well as those who may not be religious at all. We must rebuild the wall between church and state because while the goal is to be “one nation,” that does not necessarily mean we must be “one nation, under God.”
