What does the principle of the separation of Church and State mean?

The 1987 Constitution devotes two important provisions to emphasize the principle of the separation of church and state. First, it categorically declares that the separation of church and state shall be violable. And secondly, it recognizes religious freedom by enunciating the principles that there shall be no law respecting an establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof and that the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship shall forever be allowed without discrimination or preference.

This principle of the separation of church and state does not prohibits the active participation of religious sects in secular matters which have political complexion. What the Constitution prohibits is the interference of the state to any religion or the active participation of the government to matters involving the exercise of religious freedom. As Filipino citizens, members of religious groups have rights and duties to participate in the governance and take active role in politics as may be consistent to the teaching of their faiths. Their citizenship gives them as much interest in the fate of their country.

In fact the principles of the separation of the Church and the State is becoming blurred when each consider the grave moral crises confronting the society. In the face of the need to articulate the concerns of their members, religious groups have begun acting outside the box by breaking the stereotype that theirs are only concerns pertaining to the private spheres of a believer’s life. The participation of religious groups in public matters dominates the headlines of national and local dailies today.

The advocacies of Archbishop Ramon C. Arguelles highlighted the duty of religious to participate in public matters within the context of the separation of the Church and the State. Others may say that by participating in the protests against mining activities in Lobo, Batangas and the putting up of coal-fired power plant in Batangas City, he is violating the principle of separation of church and state. This notion is misplaced to say the least. This principle is far from proscribing the participation of the church in politics. No constitutional principle may be claimed to be violated unless, of course, the good Archbishop took over the management of a government institution.

On the contrary, the Constitution will be well-served by his insistence on the protection of the environment, the cleansing of the electoral process, the promotion of the right to life, and the dismantling of a corrupt political regime.  Every Filipino citizen has the duty to protect the values underlying the Constitution by advancing all the causes that he is advancing. His motivations in doing so may not be different at all from that of any public official regardless of his or her religious or political conviction.

The Constitution promotes all religions. It protects them all. It cherishes them as it cherishes the political rights of the people. In turn, the different religions must be true to their teachings by actively rebuilding the society according to the tenets of the fundamental law of the land.