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J. Brent Walker
Walker is also a member of the Supreme Court Bar, an ordained minister and professor at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.» All Posts by J. Brent Walker
Separate church, state and royal weddings
Many non-religious people, even in highly secular societies, often continue to turn to religion to solemnize important life events mainly because of tradition and a deep-seated sense of longing for the divine.
The more interesting question may be how a country like England with deep Christian roots can become so secular in the first place. One reason is that established religion – here the privileging of the Church of England – sows the seeds of its own attenuation. State support for religion tends to rob religion of its vitality and, for some, turns it into a mere ceremonial exercise.
This is one reason why I object so strongly to efforts in the United States to use tax dollars to support religious education and church ministries, allow officially sanctioned prayer in the public schools, and tolerate government-sponsored religious symbols.
Religion does a lot better when government gets out of the religion business and leaves it to its own devices.
J. Brent Walker | Apr 26, 2011 10:28 AM
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