<P> "Separation of church and state" is paraphrased from Thomas Jefferson and used by others expressing an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States which reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..." </P> <P> The phrase "separation between church & state" is generally traced to a January 1, 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, addressed to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut, and published in a Massachusetts newspaper . Jefferson wrote, </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> "</Td> <Td> "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 & State ." </Td> <Td>" </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Origin of separation of church and state in america