Religious Freedom of Conscience in America

(A sketch of the relations between church and state in their historical development and present condition in the United States of America).

“No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification of any office or public trust under the United States government” (Constitution of the United States, Article VI, Section 3).

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States).

“The free exercise of religious profession and worship, without distinction or preference, shall forever be allowed to all persons in this state; but the freedom of conscience hereby assured shall not be understood to excuse actions of dissoluteness or justify conduct incompatible with the peace and safety of the state” (Constitution of the State of New York, Article I, Section 3).

The question of religious freedom of conscience undoubtedly constitutes one of the most important social questions. It can even be said to be the most important of these questions, as it encompasses such a domain of human life as serves as the primary source of moral strength for the people’s social organism and the guiding principle in achieving the people’s ideal. In view of this, it is entirely natural that whenever there is a social movement along the path of renewal, such as that occurring in our country at present, the question of religious freedom of conscience inevitably arises before public consciousness. But despite its importance, it is at the same time difficult to resolve, and this difficulty is conditioned not only by the philosophical principles that lie at its foundation, but also by the very importance of those practical consequences which might result from one or another of its resolutions.

Public consciousness on this question among us is divided into two parties, which according to generally accepted, though imprecise, terminology can be called conservative and liberal. The latter insists on resolving this question in the sense of granting full religious freedom of conscience or proclaiming the separation of church and state. America is often cited as an example of the practical realization of such a resolution of the question. But we doubt that this party has ever seriously investigated the actual state of the question of religious freedom of conscience in the country which it presents as a worthy model, despite the first-rate importance and even necessity of such an investigation. In the present article we offer to the attention of both sides some material which can serve to clarify the actual state of the question concerning us in the United States of North America, both in its present state and in its historical development.