--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The civil government ... functions with…" description: "\"The civil government ... functions with complete success ... by the total separation of the Church from the State.\" — James Madison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/james-madison-373_atheism_the-civil-government-functions-with-comp_1948682.png" --- # The civil government ... functions with complete success… ![“The civil government ... functions with complete success ... by the total separation of the Church from the State.” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/james-madison-373_atheism_the-civil-government-functions-with-comp_1948682.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/james-madison-373_atheism_the-civil-government-functions-with-comp_1948682.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/887/james-madison-373_atheism_the-civil-government-functions-with-comp_1948682.png) > “The civil government ... functions with complete success ... by the total separation of the Church from the State.” [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A successful civil government requires a clear separation between church and state to function effectively. **In simple terms:** Separation of church and state ensures effective government. Key Takeaway Maintain institutional boundaries. Themes government separation religion state efficacy Mood analytical historical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - public administration - legal reforms - education - civil society Key Concepts political theory constitutional law Questions to Reflect On - How does separation impact religious freedom? - What are modern challenges to this principle? A Different Perspective Historical contexts may differ, challenging strict separation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-state/) [Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil/) [Civil Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-government-333148/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Functions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-functions-1827432/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Separation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation/) [Separation Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separation-church/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The civil Government, though bereft of every thing like an associated hierarchy, possesses the requisite stability, and performs its functions with complete success; whilst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-civil-government-though-bereft-of-every-thing-like-an-associated/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Religious institutions that use government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/religious-institutions-that-use-government-power-in-support-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Separation of church and state cannot mean an absolute separation between moral principles and political power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/separation-of-church-and-state-cannot-mean-an-absolute-separation/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [We have this idea in our minds that there's this separation of church and state in America, which I think is a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/we-have-this-idea-in-our-minds-that-there-s-this-separation-of-church/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [US is a very religious country. Separation of church and state is part of our credo, but that it is hard to understand since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/us-is-a-very-religious-country-separation-of-church-and-state-is-part/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The separation of Church and State in everything relating to taxation should be absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-separation-of-church-and-state-in-everything-relating-to-taxation/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Quite often you hear people say, 'What about separation of church and state?' There is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-severson/quite-often-you-hear-people-say-what-about-separation-of-church-and/) [Dan Severson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-severson/) > [They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. 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