Render Unto Caesar

"Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law." - Thomas Jefferson

This whole Kim Davis affair has caused me to remember the part in the Bible where Jesus says: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's".

I remember being taught in Catholic school and from the pulpit what Wikipedia refers to as the Separation of Church and State interpretation:

Jesus responds to Pontius Pilate about the nature of his kingdom: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But now (or 'as it is') my kingdom is not from the world" (John 18:36); i.e., his religious teachings were separate from earthly political activity.

I read through Render unto Caesar on Wikipedia. As is the case with most religious thought, it seems that interpretation rules the day. "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" can mean whatever you want it to mean.

Others have had similar thoughts to mine:

Kim Davis: What about “render unto Caesar” do you not understand?

Render unto Caesar

That Kentucky clerk should ‘render unto Caesar’ — or quit 

Render unto Caesar 

Kim Davis and the Candidates