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Simple English definitions for legal terms
church and state
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A quick definition of church and state:
Church and State: In the United States, there is a rule that says the government and religion should be separate. This means that the government cannot make a law that helps one religion more than others, or make people go to church if they don't want to. People are allowed to believe in any religion they want, or not believe in any religion at all. This rule is called the Establishment Clause and it is meant to keep a "wall of separation" between Church and State.
A more thorough explanation:
Church and State is a legal doctrine that separates religion from government in the United States. This means that the government cannot establish or promote any religion, and individuals have the right to practice any religion they choose, or no religion at all.
For example, the government cannot force people to go to church or to believe in a certain religion. It also cannot give special treatment to one religion over another. This is important because it allows people to have freedom of religion and prevents the government from favoring one religion over another.
The idea of Church and State comes from the US Supreme Court case Everson v. Board of Education. In this case, the court ruled that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution means that there must be a "wall of separation" between Church and State.