I propose that the government should get out of the business of

There are moments when a thinker, standing amid the clamor of public debate, dares to speak words that pierce through confusion and reveal a path of wisdom. Tony Campolo, a theologian and social commentator known for his compassion and clarity, once declared: “I propose that the government should get out of the business of marrying people and, instead, only give legal status to civil unions.” In these few words lies a profound call to separate what is spiritual from what is political, what is sacred from what is administrative. Campolo’s statement is not rebellion — it is an appeal for order and fairness, born from the recognition that law cannot dictate the mysteries of love, nor should faith dictate the rights of citizenship.

The origin of this quote arose during the heated debates surrounding same-sex marriage in the United States, a time when questions of morality, religion, and equality collided in the hearts of millions. Campolo, himself a devout Christian, sought to bridge the chasm between conviction and compassion. His proposal was simple but revolutionary: let the state concern itself only with the civil contract — the union of two citizens in law — while leaving the religious meaning of marriage to the churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples that define it according to faith. In doing so, he sought to preserve both freedom of religion and freedom from it, creating a harmony between conscience and justice. It was a vision that echoed the ancient principle of rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s.

Campolo’s wisdom reflects the insight that societies falter when they confuse the authority of heaven with the authority of law. In the days of Constantine, when the Roman Empire merged its rule with the Christian faith, the two became entangled — belief became obligation, and worship became law. The centuries that followed bore witness to wars, persecutions, and divisions born of that fusion. Campolo’s proposal, then, is an act of restoration — a return to the balance that the philosophers of every age have sought: that the state should protect justice, and the soul should pursue meaning. Civil unions would grant the legal rights and responsibilities that form the fabric of social order, while marriage would remain a sacred covenant defined by belief, not bureaucracy.

This separation, however, is not cold or mechanical. Campolo’s vision carries a moral warmth — an understanding that love, in all its forms, deserves protection and dignity, even when it takes shape beyond the traditions of one’s own faith. He reminds us that the role of government is not to sanctify love but to safeguard equality. In recognizing civil unions, the state affirms that every citizen — regardless of faith, gender, or orientation — stands equal before the law. In preserving marriage for the churches, faith communities retain their sacred autonomy. Thus, what he proposes is not division, but coexistence — a peace between two realms that too often wage war against each other.

History itself bears witness to the need for such wisdom. In 17th-century England, when religious conformity was enforced by law, those who worshiped differently were punished, imprisoned, or exiled. It was from that oppression that the founders of the American experiment forged the doctrine of separation between church and state — not to weaken religion, but to protect it. Campolo stands in that same lineage, calling his generation to uphold that delicate balance. For when law seeks to define the sacred, it becomes tyranny; and when faith seeks to command the law, it becomes domination. Only when each honors its boundary can both flourish.

His words also echo a universal truth that transcends politics: that love is larger than legislation. Whether in the union of man and woman, or of two souls bound by shared devotion, the essence of love cannot be granted or denied by decree. Governments may codify rights, but they cannot sanctify hearts. Campolo’s call is thus not only legal, but philosophical — an invitation for humanity to recognize that freedom, fairness, and faith are not rivals, but allies when rightly ordered. His vision seeks a society in which all are protected in law and free in spirit, where love is honored not because it conforms, but because it is true.

Let this teaching, then, be preserved as guidance for all generations: separate what must be separate, so that both may stand strong. Let the government defend justice without judging belief; let the faithful bless love without fear of the law. For when these realms collide, both are weakened — but when they coexist in respect, a nation becomes both just and humane. The practical wisdom of Tony Campolo’s words endures: to ensure that the law treats every citizen equally, and that faith remains free to speak of love in its own sacred language. Thus, the state protects the body, and faith preserves the soul — and between them, humanity may finally learn to live in peace.