What institution "invented" the secular motion of seperation between Church and Government.?

Question

I know, just testing.

Hint: It began before the U.S was estabelished.

Hmm, I should have fraised the question better.

What was the first, institution to introduce, "secular" a policy.

So many correct, yet different answers.

Answer 1

If memory serves me right it was the US Supreme Court.

Answer 2

The US founding fathers did by leaving god out of the Constitution, implementing article 6 which says no religious test shall be required for public office, implementing the 1st amendment which says that no laws can be made to promote religion, and by their various other writings arguing for a separation of church and state.

However, there have been many other people in previous times that have also seen the harm done by mixing religion and government. Thomas Paine had many strong words about it before the Constitution was created. Even in the Bible, the authors admitted that it was better to leave unto Caesar what is Caesar's and let religion be separate. There are many other countless examples throughout history.

Answer 3

It's a Jewish notion.

However, in Judaism, the "political" laws and the religious laws are all extracted and defined from the same code, the Halachah.

In the ideal Jewish society, the Jewish government is represented by the king, and his powers don't go into the temple/synagogue: the religious "powers" pertain to the High Priest (Kohen HaGadol).

In the times of Moses, he was the political leader, but the religious duties pertained to his brother Aaron (and afterwards Aaron's son Elazar.)

The American Founding Fathers were well versed in the Hebrew Bible, and they even thought about making of the Hebrew language the official language of the US of A.

Answer 4

The Virginia Statute for Religious freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1779, was the first formal law establishing the separation of church and state.

Answer 5

Thomas Jefferson!

Answer 6

John Locke

Answer 7

Greeks

Answer 8

"In the eyes of history, religious toleration is the highest evidence of culture in a people....It was not until the Western nations broke away from their religious law that they became more tolerant, and it was only when the Muslims fell away from their religious law that they declined in tolerance and other evidences of the highest culture. Before the coming of Islam it (tolerance) had never been preached as an essential part of religion... –Marmaduke Pickthall

Answer 9

I know Thomas Jefferson coined the term, but its assumed in the first amendment. Hmm I give up, who?
Oh wait, wasn't it a greek philospher? Plato maybe? OMG I know this....