Culture Wars: Religious Freedom, Church and State

Religion and Government

Religion and morality play an essential role in maintaining and promoting good and effective government.

Religion and government are most successful and effective when they protect and encourage each other.

Wilford W. Andersen

The Role of Religion and Government

• Governments play an essential role in protecting and maintaining religious freedom and in fostering the role of churches in society.
• A growing majority of countries now envision societies where religious beliefs and practices should be protected and safeguarded from persecution.
• As people of faith we should be thankful for such governmental protections.

The Essential Role of Religion

• Religion and morality play an essential role in maintaining and promoting good and effective government.
• Governments enforce the law written on the books, while religion teaches adherence to the law written in the heart (see Matthew 5:21−22).
• Good government protects religion, and good religion encourages good citizenship.

Make Your Voice Heard

• It is part of our religion to be good citizens wherever we live (see Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 21.1.29).
• When the Savior comes, the scepter of government and the power of the priesthood will be combined into one.
• Until then, religion and government must respect the other’s independence, while appreciating the other’s essential contribution.