Magnus' church and state

By Devon Dick

On Monday, veteran radio morning show host, Alan Magnus, in his commentary section of the RJR 94 FM, challenged the Jamaica Council of Churches' (JCC) opposition to Sunday horse racing. He is entitled to his views just as the JCC is entitled to influencing the policy decisions of a government. However, Magnus needs to heed the statement of former USA Senator Daniel Moynihan, who said "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." Magnus should not change the facts to support his legitimate arguments.

Magnus announced to his audience that in the United States of America (USA) there is a complete separation of church and state and that there, the church controlled the state and then it said no more.

There is a misunderstanding of separation of state and church as developed and practised in the USA. The idea of the founding fathers of the USA was not the fear of the church controlling the state but rather that of the state controlling the church. They did not want the state to favour one church over another. People ought to be free to have and express their religious beliefs and join the church of their choice. So, Mr Magnus, the church never controlled the state in the USA.

Therefore, separation of church and state in the USA does not mean the church has no influence on politics. In fact, in the current political campaigning in the USA, Christianity is central. So much so the Republican front-runner Mitt Romney's Achilles heel is that he is not from mainstream Christianity but a Mormon. In Jamaica, nobody worries about the denominational affiliation of a politician. Furthermore, the president of the USA swears on a Bible at the inauguration. And in USA, the church has tax exemption to a level far greater than in Jamaica. And as all holders of USA notes know, on them are printed the words, "In God we Trust"! It is a figment of people's imagination to believe that the church has no influence on the state in the USA. In fact, the Moral Majority has more influence on politics in the USA than the Jamaica Council of Churches has in Jamaica.

No separation

In England, there is no separation of church and state since the Queen of Great Britain is both head of the Anglican Church and also Head of State. Furthermore, people admire the economy of the United Kingdom (UK) and the Queen of England is also the Head of State of Jamaica. And the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury is based on the recommendation of the prime minister. On Sunday at the launch of Jamaica's Jubilee, the guest preacher was John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, a representative of a State Church and who is second to the Archbishop of Canterbury. So in both the USA and UK, our major source of influence and inspiration - the church - is active in the state.

There are those who would want to confine Christians to voting as their only role in governance. However, the Jamaican Church, that is the collective Christian membership, should have a say in governance issues, including legislation and corruption prevention, just as any other group or institution. Therefore, nothing is wrong with the JCC expressing its view on Sunday gambling and warning about expanding gambling opportunities. Nothing would be wrong if the church questioned the sustainability of gambling.

Magnus is entitled to establishing his own church and, if he is powerful enough, to create his own state, but Magnus' view on church and state is not factual and he is not entitled to create his own understanding of the existing relationship between church and state.

Rev Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew. Send comments to columns@gleanerjm.com