SANDPOINT — The separation of church and state is a foundational principle in the United States, and faith leaders from around North Idaho recently joined the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force to discuss the issue. 

In a panel-style discussion, six local faith leaders from various Christian denominations came together in front of a crowd of community members to talk about the importance of mutual respect and religious freedom when it comes to keeping church and state separate. 

Panelists included the Rev. JP Carver of the Episcopal Church, Pastor Duane Fister of the First Lutheran Church, Pastor Andy Hinderlie of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Rev. Catherine Lyle of United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Barbara Rolph of the Presbyterian Church and friend David Britton from Sandpoint Friends Meeting (Quakers).  

Panelists described the separation of church and state as a principle rooted in the First Amendment. 

Before the panel discussion, retired University of Idaho professor and BCHRTF board member John Lawrence defined Christian nationalism as efforts to define the United States as a Christian nation. In his definition, which included its three major forms — charismatic Dominionism, Calvinist nationalism and Catholic integralism — Lawrence shared that the movement conflicts with the U.S. Constitution and limits the country’s “commitment to no state religion but full religious freedom.” 

“The Constitution's First Amendment speaks directly to the separation of church and state. It begins, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. It is noteworthy that the First Amendment deals firstly with freedom of religion,” Lawrence said. 

The Rev. Steve Neuder, who served as moderator, asked panelists a range of questions, touching on everything from cultural diversity in the country and the role of congregants in political advocacy or voting. 

The first topic — how separation of state and church promotes mutual respect among people of different faiths, or no faith at all.  

In responding to the matter, Rolph shared two verses from the Bible, Micah 6: 6-8 and John 13:34, both of which emphasize justice, humility and love for others.

“The issue of separation of church and state is not new ... We need to remember that America is not a Christian nation, but a nation in which we are free to be Christian,” Rolph said. “The Christian flag represents who we worship, and the American flag represents that we are free to worship as we wish.” 

On the same question, Fister referenced Martin Luther’s two-kingdom theory, which indicates that God rules the world through two kingdoms — the right-hand kingdom rules through grace and gospel, and the left-hand kingdom through civil rule and employs the sword to maintain order in the left-hand kingdom.  

Fister said the right-hand kingdom has no place for a sword, and the left-hand kingdom has no place for the gospel, relating the kingdoms to church and state.  

“Luther would view Christian nationalism as an attempt to do right-handed work with left-handed tools by trying to force the gospel, or even a specific Christian morality, into the legal code,” Fister said. “The movement risks turning the cross into a political mascot and the church into a department of state.”  

Other discussion topics included the potential for extremism within religious spaces and the challenges of maintaining clear boundaries between church and state. 

Panelists emphasized that maintaining the separation of church and state remains vital to preserving religious freedom and civic balance in society.