“The Church should not interfere in politics since the Constitution provides for the separation of Church and state.” This is usually the reaction every time bishops, priests, and religious denounce extrajudicial killings, human rights abuses, corruption, antipoor economic policies, etc.
The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines declares: The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable. (Article II, Section 6), and, No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
What does the separation of Church and state really mean? In the first place, this is not about what the Church is forbidden to do – getting involved in politics. It is about what the state is prohibited from doing – the establishment of an official state religion and the use of public money to support such religion. This allows for religious pluralism. The free exercise of religion is recognized and guaranteed. The state cannot interfere in the affairs of the Church or any other religious groups.
From a historical perspective, the principle of separation of Church and state was a reaction to the union of Church and state which was expressed in Patronato Real or royal patronage. This was operative in Europe and in the Philippines for 3 centuries under Spanish colonial rule. The patronato was based on the principle of the state choosing an official religion – e.g. Catholicism (to the exclusion of other religions) – and the state’s obligation to support such religion. This means providing financial support for the clergy, the building of churches and monasteries, and the defense of the Church against her enemies.
The Church needed the patronage of the state to carry out her mission. In exchange, the state gained the right to interfere in the internal affairs of the Church. The approval of the state was needed for the appointment of bishops, the establishment of religious orders and communities, and the construction of churches and monasteries. There were times when rulers could even call for Church councils to settle doctrinal controversies and heresies that threatened the unity of the state. The state could even interfere in papal elections. In its extreme, the patronato led to state absolutism and control of the Church.
“Separation of Church and State” is one of the most misunderstood phrases is modern political discourse. Yet, it is also a phrase with deep roots in Baptist tradition and one that we, as Christians, should have a healthy understanding of as we seek to engage in the public sphere.
