Nearly everyone believes that the idea of seperation of church and state was created to protect the people from an overbearing Church however, the idea was promoted by the Church to protect it from secular powers. The irony is that secular powers frequently, in times of trouble, disregarded the idea and used their power over the church. Examples include royalty appointing unfit bishops and priests and confescating church property. It is generally the elements controled by the layity that were the abusive faction in the church.