The Supreme Court has put itself in the centre of an emotionally and politically charged issue in agreeing to hear cases on the constitutionality of displaying the Ten Commandments on government land and buildings.
Recently lower courts in America have been thrown into confusion by the issue after a number of contradicting rulings being given on the matter.
USA’s constitution states in its First Amendment that the Church and State should b kept firmly separate. In 1980, the Supreme Court gave a ruling that a Kentucky law which required schools to post up copies of the Ten Commandments in all classrooms was void with the constitution.
Two appeals will be put before the Supreme Court. One involving a man from Austin, Texas who lost a court battle to have a 2m red granite monument removed from the grounds of the State Capitol. In addition to this, an appeal will be heard after a Kentucky court barred the Ten Commandments from being posted in State Courthouses.
However, last week the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a former Chief Justice, who lost his job after refusing to remove a copy of the Ten Commandments from a court building.
The recent spate of contradictory rulings has worried those who hold the firm belief in the clear separation of the Church and State. However, these same contradictions have given hope to those who would prefer to see American politics to be rooted in Christian beliefs and faith.
A representative of the Kentucky counties said, "The Ten Commandments case could be the [biggest] blockbuster religious liberty case that the Supreme Court has seen in a really long time,"
The Supreme Court has stated that they will make their final ruling on the issue in the New Year.
According to the Bible, the Ten Commandments are the celestial rules ethical conduct given from God to Moses on Mount Sinai.