Why does the U.S. Constitution require the separation of church and state?
The First Amendment guarantees both the free exercise of religion and the separation of church and state. The second part of that guarantee, which is at issue in the Alabama case, does not require absolute separation of church and state. Courts have interpreted it to bar government actions that plainly endorse religion and have no secular purpose. The First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom is derived largely from when the American colonists were trying to escape religious persecution in England and tolerance was a primary concern when the Bill of Rights was written in 1789. Q: Why have federal courts ruled that displays of the Ten Commandments in public buildings are unconstitutional? A: Courts have ruled that certain prominent displays violate the First Amendment by advancing religion and forcing people who are doing government business to come in contact with a religious message. Q: But why have courts said that some religious displays are legal in other circumstances? A: T
