THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

U.S. PUBLIC OPINION POLLS

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Overview:

There appear to be relatively few public opinion polls related to the principle of separation of church and state, compared to such hot button items as abortion access or equal rights to homosexuals. However, the Chief Justice Moore controversy over a Ten Commandments monument in the Alabama Justice Building gave the topic a high profile in the late summer of 2003. This resulted in two formal polls, and a number of informal ones, which sampled public opinion on this topic. The latter are not included here because their results are so biased. They were typically taken on websites promoting conservative Christianity, the separation of church and state, or Agnosticism.

The precise meaning of the term "non-denominational prayer" in the second question might have been unclear to some participants. Some might interpret the phrase as referring to a general theistic prayer to God that is acceptable to Baha'i's Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and other theists. Others might interpret it as referring to a generic Christian prayer that is acceptable to members of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant denominations.

The precise meaning of the term "public area" may have also confused some participants. Some might interpret the term as referring to a government location, such as a federal, state or municipal park; a government office building, a public school, etc. Others might have interpreted it more generally to include any place where the public can freely gather, such as church grounds, private parks, sides of roads, etc. ₄

References:

1. "New Poll Shows Americans Oppose Religious Discrimination With Public Funds: Results Find Public Has Serious Reservations About Bush 'Faith-Based' Initiative, Says Americans United," Americans United for Separation of Church and State, 2001-APR-10, at: http://www.commondreams.org/
2. "Americans don't want churches mixing religion with partisan politics, new poll shows," Americans United for Separation of Church and State, 2002-MAR-20, at: http://www.au.org/press/pr032002.htm

3. "Ten Commandments monument moved: New poll says Americans disapprove of federal court order," CNN.com, 2003-AUG-28, at: http://www.cnn.com/

4. Tony Perkins, "New Poll: Americans Support Christian Monuments," Family Research Council, at: http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WU03I21

5. The CWS poll is typically at the lower right corner of the ChristianWebSite.com web site at: http://www.christianwebsite.com/

Copyright © 2003 to 2005 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2003-OCT-1
Latest update: 2005-MAY-26
Author: B.A. Robinson