PS 202: Government and Political Institutions – Exam
viewed church and state as separate institutions, each ordained by God and each having
different functions.
Clear separations were made between church and state.
Clergy could not hold public office, endorse candidates, serve on juries, or censure the official
conduct of politicians.
State officials could not hold religious office, interference with church governance, or censure
the actions of clergy.
As observed by Witte (2011), "separatism for them did not connote disestablishment of one
religion or the toleration of other religions." Indeed, they advocated the coordination and
cooperation of church and state.
Donation of property, tax exemptions, Sabbath laws
Lack of tolerance for dissenters, e.g. Roger Williams - answers✔✔Puritan views on religion and
politics
Called for free exercise and disestablishment
State should not give special support or privilege to any religion through tax subsidies
State should not predicate laws or policies on explicitly religious grounds
State should not interfere with religious institutions and doctrines
State should respect "liberty of conscience" - answers✔✔Jeffersons religious liberty model
States should not coerce citizen adherence
Supports liberty for all denominations, including deists and atheists
State should balance the establishment of one public religion with many private religions
promote honesty, diligence, devotion, obedience, virtue, love of God, neighbor, and self
(instrumental value)
, "religion and virtue are the only foundation, not only of republicanism and of all free
government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human
society...Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite
company—I mean hell"
Too much religious freedom leads to depravity and license.
Too little religious freedom leads to hypocrisy and impiety.
Too much establishment breeds coercion and corruption.
Too little establishment allows secular prejudices to become constitutional prerogatives.
Adams wanted a public religion to be established (1) cer - answers✔✔Adams religious liberty
model
This theologically grounded position sees religious liberty as vital to authentic faith and the
purity of the church.
They wanted to protect religion from the corrupting effect of government interference.
This view does not advocate secularism, but simply wants religious faith and practice to be
voluntary rather than coerced through any civil establishment of religion. - answers✔✔pietistic
separationists
Committed personally to Evangelical Christianity, he believed that the republic rested on Judeo-
Christian principles.
However, he was a strong supporter of free exercise and opposed the payment of taxes for the
support of any religion. - answers✔✔Roger Sherman on religion
Witherspoon was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence and served as
president of Princeton University.
He believed that public officials should not coerce belief in religion, but should "encourage piety
by [their] own example," and "defend the right of conscience." - answers✔✔john witherspoon
on religion
He used Williams' thought to expound a theological basis for separation.
viewed church and state as separate institutions, each ordained by God and each having
different functions.
Clear separations were made between church and state.
Clergy could not hold public office, endorse candidates, serve on juries, or censure the official
conduct of politicians.
State officials could not hold religious office, interference with church governance, or censure
the actions of clergy.
As observed by Witte (2011), "separatism for them did not connote disestablishment of one
religion or the toleration of other religions." Indeed, they advocated the coordination and
cooperation of church and state.
Donation of property, tax exemptions, Sabbath laws
Lack of tolerance for dissenters, e.g. Roger Williams - answers✔✔Puritan views on religion and
politics
Called for free exercise and disestablishment
State should not give special support or privilege to any religion through tax subsidies
State should not predicate laws or policies on explicitly religious grounds
State should not interfere with religious institutions and doctrines
State should respect "liberty of conscience" - answers✔✔Jeffersons religious liberty model
States should not coerce citizen adherence
Supports liberty for all denominations, including deists and atheists
State should balance the establishment of one public religion with many private religions
promote honesty, diligence, devotion, obedience, virtue, love of God, neighbor, and self
(instrumental value)
, "religion and virtue are the only foundation, not only of republicanism and of all free
government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human
society...Without religion, this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite
company—I mean hell"
Too much religious freedom leads to depravity and license.
Too little religious freedom leads to hypocrisy and impiety.
Too much establishment breeds coercion and corruption.
Too little establishment allows secular prejudices to become constitutional prerogatives.
Adams wanted a public religion to be established (1) cer - answers✔✔Adams religious liberty
model
This theologically grounded position sees religious liberty as vital to authentic faith and the
purity of the church.
They wanted to protect religion from the corrupting effect of government interference.
This view does not advocate secularism, but simply wants religious faith and practice to be
voluntary rather than coerced through any civil establishment of religion. - answers✔✔pietistic
separationists
Committed personally to Evangelical Christianity, he believed that the republic rested on Judeo-
Christian principles.
However, he was a strong supporter of free exercise and opposed the payment of taxes for the
support of any religion. - answers✔✔Roger Sherman on religion
Witherspoon was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence and served as
president of Princeton University.
He believed that public officials should not coerce belief in religion, but should "encourage piety
by [their] own example," and "defend the right of conscience." - answers✔✔john witherspoon
on religion
He used Williams' thought to expound a theological basis for separation.
