Didn't the writers of the contitution mean separation of church and state in this?

[donheld]

Article VI

All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but NO RELIGIOUS TEST SHALL EVER BE REQUIRED AS A QUALIFICATION TO ANY OFFICE OR PUBLIC TRUST UNDER THE UNITED STATES.

Emphasis mine

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlevi.html

[Vexatious Ape]

1. Yes. Seems clear enough to me.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Yes, absolutely

Those right wing morons who claim that separation of church and state is a myth need a serious course in reading comprehension.

The word noun religion or the adjective religious is found exactly twice in the Constitution. Once in the clause you quote; the other is in the First Amendment, and I am sure few need that quoted to them. In both cases, the effect is to separate church and state.

[lvx35]

3. Yes of course...

it seems to be intended to give clarification on the bit about oath or affirmation, that it shall not be taken as being religious in nature...It shows that the quality of legal oaths should not be connected in any way with religion or religiosity, which is extra important IMHO: the state must never interpret religion as a prerequisite of morality.

[ms liberty]

4. Yes, and in fact that reference and the 1st Amendment reference to religion

are the ONLY 2 mentions of religion in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

All the fundies who like to claim that we're a xtian country, and the founding fathers were oh so firmly xtian forget a very important fact:

These guys created and wrote the Constitution. If they had wanted us to be a Christian country, all they would have had to do was to WRITE IT IN. They didn't. Instead they denied it as a requirement of qualification for office, and denied the government the ability to favor any religion in any way.

I think that's pretty conclusive on what they did and didn't intend!