Separation of Church and State

The separation of church and state as a fundamental principle of American democracy is guaranteed by the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. Historically, two different primary interpretations of the Establishment Clause have been advanced. On one approach, the Establishment Clause is viewed as prohibiting the establishment of a national religion but allowing government involvement with and regulation of all religions as long as none is favored over others. Under the other approach, the Establishment Clause is interpreted to mean that there must be a "wall of separation" between church and state such that there is no interaction between government and religion at all. Establishment Clause issues have been raised in many different forums, including the workplace, schools, government bodies, and the public square. Throughout the history of its decisions, the Supreme Court has analyzed Establishment Clause cases primarily by using a modified "wall of separation" approach.