Over the past few years, many controversial topics such as immigration, gun control, and abortion have been debated by the public. Now that it is 2016 and the presidential elections are coming up, many people are wondering where the candidates stand on the topic of another controversy: same sex marriage. Recently, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of same sex marriage, and it is now legal in all 50 states. However, like the public, the candidates’ views on this topic are quite diverse.

In the Obergefell v. Hodges case, groups of same sex couples sued the state they lived in to challenge the constitutionality of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. The plaintiffs argued that the state’s statutes violated several rights listed in the constitution. The US Court of Appeals recognized that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees the right to marry as one of the liberties mentioned, and after analysis the court decided that it applies to same-sex couples as well as opposite-sex couples.

There is a clear divide between the two political parties – the Republicans and Democrats – on this issue. While the Democrats support this ruling, many of the Republican candidates have expressed their disapproval. Most of the Republican candidates’ reasons for wanting to restrict marriage comes from their religious views that marriage is between a man and a woman.

The separation of church and state means the separation between the political relationship of organized religion and the nation state. The concept of separation of church and state has been an integral part of America’s structure. In 1802, in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, Thomas Jefferson writes, “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, [and] not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.”

The First Amendment has been around for centuries, and has recently been brought back into the political discussion because of the upcoming presidential campaigns. Many American voters have expressed concerns that many of the Republicans have a tendency to base their political opinions on their religious beliefs. When asked about the separation of church and state, many American voters thoughts jump to the Republican candidates and some of their opinions on political debates today. A prime example many bring up is same-sex marriage. Historically, many candidates base their political opinions on their religious beliefs. For example, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s opposition to same-sex marriage stems from his more traditional, Christian-based views. In an interview from 2012, Cruz says, “I believe that engaging in homosexual conduct is a choice, and I do not believe that unelected judges should force states to adopt gay marriage, against the wishes of the people. Marriage is a fundamental building block of our society, and I have a proven record of standing and fighting to protect traditional marriage between one man and one woman.”

Though this is a common thread, not all Republicans believe that their religious beliefs should affect their political opinions. Some believe that the times are changing, and that they need to embrace the changes even if some of their values don’t match up with them. Izze Rios ’18 commented, “Personally, I and many others base their values off religious beliefs, because it is what we truly believe, so for example, I don’t think an abortion is right under any circumstances. But I do think that times are progressing, so with topics like gay marriage, I believe people are becoming more accepting.”

Republican presidential candidate, Ben Carson, however, believes that marriage should be restricted to the union between a man and a woman. He disagrees with the verdict in the Obergefell v. Hodges case, believing that it has afforded extra rights to same-sex couples, such as getting to “redefine marriage.” He believes that the government should not force Christians to violate their religious beliefs by making them give a marriage license to a same-sex couple. Emma Davis ’18 says, “I feel some of the candidates put their feelings in front of what is really right. I feel that you should be able to marry whoever you love no matter what their sex is.”

As of right now, a clear pattern has formed regarding approval of same-sex marriage. The Democratic candidates believe that the Supreme Court has the authority to make same-sex marriages legal, and that the ruling in the Obergefell v. Hodges case was constitutional. The Republican candidates however, believe that the power to redefine marriage should be left up to the states.

Should the candidates let their own religious beliefs influence the choices they make regarding people who may not practice the same faith as them? Or should they firmly separate their religion from their government because they have hopes of leading a nation with diverse beliefs? Javier Ergueta, History and TOK teacher, comments, “Freedom of religion ensures you have a right to base your political views on your religious beliefs. Separation of church and state ensures that the state does not favor or penalize one religion. You should…be prepared to make a case for your (probably religiously inspired) views based on non-religious, or trans-religious grounds.” It will be important to stay tuned as the election progresses, as the resolution of this debate will have a great impact on how America is governed in the future.