Priests kept people in check by convincing them that the world was irrational, that their minds were powerless, and that the pursuit of personal happiness was sinful. Meanwhile, tyrants maintained control through the use of physical force.
Russian author and philosopher Ayn Rand famously described the merging of the State and the church as a union between “Attila and the witch doctor.” According to Rand, there was once a time when the world was governed by a combination of faith and force—a conspiracy between priests and tyrants. Priests kept people in check by convincing them that the world was irrational, that their minds were powerless, and that the pursuit of personal happiness was sinful. Meanwhile, tyrants maintained control through the use of physical force. Rand’s “Witch Doctor and Attila” metaphor illustrates how these two forces relied on and supported each other.
A striking example of what can happen when Church and State become intertwined is the church of Rome’s invention of the heresy known as Caesaropapism. This is a political system in which the head of the state is also the head of the church and supreme judge in religious matters. In this case it was epitomized by the forged document called the Donation of Constantine, which falsely claimed to transfer governmental authority to the church. This is a prime example because it is the root of the mixing of church and state power in the West. The problem began under Emperor Theodosius, who made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380. The decay started earlier when Emperor Constantine appointed Christian bishops as imperial advisors. Many in the church welcomed this exclusive status, even though it was fundamentally opposed to the Gospel.
In the modern day, religious governance is evident in many Muslim countries that operate as theocracies, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. In these nations, citizens must follow strict religious codes and are required to worship God and Muhammad, or they risk facing severe punishment, including death.
One of the main benefits of separating church and state is that it prevents either institution from imposing laws or rules that compel individuals to practice a specific religion. While Canada does not legally enforce such a separation, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms has guaranteed freedom of religion since 1982. However, the same document also references the “supremacy of God,” suggesting that while individuals are free to be atheists, the government is not entirely secular.
In Canada in 2021, 53.3% of the population identified as Christian, 34.6% reported having no religious affiliation or held a secular perspective (atheist, agnostic, humanist, and other similar views), and 12.1% of the population identified with another religion.
A society with a true separation of church and state is characterized by the following:
- Citizens are free to embrace or reject any faith.
- Support for religion is entirely voluntary.
- All religions are treated equally under the law.
Over the past 50 years, Canada has made consistent progress toward becoming a secular state. It is essential to remain vigilant in maintaining the separation of Church and State to ensure this progress continues.
The oppressive reality of living under a theocracy, or Rome’s Caesaropapism, is expressed by this incisive little poem created by me and ChatGPT.
The Unholy Alliance
In the shadowed halls of power, they conspire,
Church and state, entwined in a dark embrace,
Their whispered vows echo through marble corridors,
A pact forged in secrecy, veiled by sacred lace.
The church, with its lofty spires and stained glass,
Claims divine authority, a conduit to the heavens,
Its dogmas etched in stone, immutable and unyielding,
A fortress of faith, where doubt is a sin unforgiven.
And the state, with its earthly might and iron fist,
Wields laws like swords, shaping destinies,
Its leaders draped in robes of authority,
Their decrees binding, their power absolute.
Together, they dance a dangerous waltz,
Their steps synchronized, their motives concealed,
The pulpit and the podium, side by side,
Preaching salvation and sovereignty, their truths revealed.
But beware, oh mortal souls, for this unholy union,
Is a pact with the devil, a Faustian bargain,
For when church and state entwine their fate,
Freedom withers, and tyranny takes root.
The inquisitor’s flame, the executioner’s axe,
The heretic’s pyre, the dissenter’s cell,
These are the fruits of their collaboration,
A harvest of fear, where dissent is quelled.
So let us raise our voices, sound the alarm,
Against this unholy alliance, this perilous bond,
For liberty lies in the separation of their powers,
And the light of reason must prevail, unsworn.
