Separation of Church and State

Separation of church and state is a legal doctrine in the United States primarily derived from the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or unduly favoring one religion over another.

The modern interpretation of this doctrine was articulated in the landmark Supreme Court case Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947). Writing for the majority, Justice Hugo Black invoked Thomas Jefferson’s famous phrase describing the Establishment Clause as erecting “a wall of separation between Church and State.” Justice Black emphasized that this wall must remain “high and impregnable,” meaning that the government, whether federal or state, must not:

• Establish or support a church,
• Aid one religion or all religions,
• Coerce individuals to attend or avoid religious services, or
• Punish individuals based on their religious beliefs or practices.

This interpretation set a precedent for a broad reading of the Establishment Clause, influencing later cases concerning religious liberty, government funding of religious institutions, and public religious expression.

[Last reviewed in June of 2025 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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