Legal Question in Constitutional Law in Florida

Re: seperation church & state

Legally, clergy can run for office and serve just like anyone else. Some religions forbid their clergy to hold elected office and others may impose certain restrictions, but these rules come from the religions' leadership and not the government.

Separation of church and state only becomes an issue where the official tries to use his government position to enforce religious teachings. Even here, though, the issue is not whether the person is clergy but rather how he performs the duties of his office. Many clergy can serve with distinction without crossing this line, while some laypeople -- like Roy Moore, the former Chief Justice of Alabama -- cross it freely and wonder why anyone else has a problem with it.

Re: seperation church & state

Pursuant to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, religious leaders cannot be prohibited from running for elective office by the government, nor prohibited by the government from serving, if elected.