In an Aeon essay, philosopher Neil Van Leeuwen and law professor Jacob Eisler, both at Florida State University, argue that the separation of church and state rests on a difference in the mind. Ordinary factual belief is involuntary and answers to evidence. Religious 'credence' is partly chosen, survives contrary evidence and is kept in its own compartment, guiding ritual more than daily life. They note that many languages say people 'believe' religious claims but 'think' factual ones.

From this they draw two principles: policy built on credence cannot be tested in democratic debate, so states should not establish religion; and because believers can set credence aside in public reasoning, religious freedom is workable. For freethinkers it offers an argument for secularism that goes beyond law and into psychology.

Source: Neil Van Leeuwen and Jacob Eisler, Aeon (2026-11-03)

Summarised by the FTI newsdesk.