John Locke and the non-separation of Church and State

Religious toleration, the secularization of politics, and the separation of church and state are central pillars of liberalism. John Locke’s Letter Concerning Toleration (1689) is generally taken to be a cardinal text in defence of those positions. In the twenty-first century, these elements of liberalism are under strain. Post-secularists protest at the exclusion of religious commitment from the public sphere. Religious communities demand recognition from civil society and reject the ‘privatization’ of religion. While my topic has resonance for our times, I offer an historical account of Locke on the relationship between religion and civil life. I seek to counter the liberal caricature of him. Locke, I argue, did not believe that, in our shared public life, we are required to leave our faith and piety at home. On the contrary, Locke was a Christian theologian with a profound commitment to the unity of the church and the duty of evangelism.