This is surely one of the most misunderstood concepts of our time!
The individual is the embodiment of many loyalties, Church and State being just two.
You cannot take national, cultural, spiritual or religious identity out of the individual citizen any more than you can remove their life blood.
In practical terms, separation of Church and State means balance and mutual accountability, part of the system of 'checks and balances' that we all need.
It does not mean either the domination or the annihilation of one by the other.
The State
The State has a responsibility to ensure that religious organisations always act for the total wellbeing of their members and the community at large.
The Church
The Church has a responsibility to call the State to remember its duty
to govern withJustice, Equity and Compassion.
The Church must constantly be calling on the elected ministers of State to love the people they serve more than the power they wield.
