Dwight's post demonstrates that the Reformation was the religious justification for the political rise of the Nation-State and cannot be understood outside this context.
The religious ideas of the Reformation accompanied political actions and had political consequences.
Thankfully, Christianity was able to seperate politics from theology (not morality from theology). America is the result of this division and has prospered from it.
>> Thankfully, Christianity was able to seperate politics from theology (not morality from theology). America is the result of this division and has prospered from it. <<
America was an attempt to see if religious distinctions could be brushed under the rug and the religious values held in common could alone be sufficient for maintaining a state. We'll see how long it works for. So far, in the 5,000-year history of Yahvistic governance, America's secularism has survived for about 200 years. Fortunately, the truly brilliant concept behind America's governance isn't merely ecumenism, but self-correction. As Europe's radical-secular ecumenism falters, we'll see if ours is made more resilient by our self-corrective mechanisms.
Thankfully, Christianity was able to seperate politics from theology (not morality from theology). America is the result of this division and has prospered from it.
It prospered when men thought that they should serve God and the state should serve men, now too many people believe that both God and men should serve the state. "Ask not...."