Religious groups issue `shared vision' statement supporting separation. (People & Events).

Five national religious bodies joined forces in Washington, D.C., recently to update and re-issue a vision statement affirming the importance of church-state separation to religious liberty.

The first "Shared Vision" statement was issued in 1994 and signed by six religious and civil liberties groups and 80 individuals. The new version, issued Oct. 17, was limited solely to religious organizations. Signers include the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, the American Jewish Committee, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and The Interfaith Alliance Foundation.

The document notes that America is confronted by "two strikingly different and equally invalid views about religion in public life." One view, the document says, suggests that the United States was founded as a Christian or Judeo-Christian nation and that church-state separation was never intended. The other view holds that religion and religious groups should have a "minimal role in--perhaps even being barred from--the vital public discourses we carry on as a democracy."

The statement calls for a third approach: It says the government should remain neutral on matters of religion, and it advocates an interpretation of the First Amendment that maximizes religious freedom under the Free Exercise Clause but prevents government from endorsing or funding religion under the Establishment Clause.

Specifically, "A Shared Vision" opposes state-sponsored worship in public schools, voucher aid to religious schools and tax aid to religion through "faith-based initiatives."

Reacting to the Supreme Court's decision in June upholding voucher aid for religious schools, "A Shared Vision" comments, "What may be constitutional is not always wise or good public policy. Therefore, we oppose direct and indirect government funding of parochial schools at primary and secondary levels and of pervasively religious colleges and universities."

Concludes the document, "Our heritage of religious liberty and church-state separation must be reaffirmed. The increasing religious pluralism in our country beckons us to turn this heritage into a legacy. The aspirations of the Founders--that religion should involve a voluntary response and that government should remain neutral toward religion--must be converted into practical reality."

The entire document can be read online at the Baptist Joint Committee's website: www.bjcpa.org.