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@Molearner when I scan through my (inexpert) knowledge of history, I'm seeing that separation of politics and religion is more pronounced in the modern period, and also varies across different cultures. In middle ages Europe, for instance, politics was in the hands of the monarchy and aristocracy which were deeply steeped in Christianity. Indeed the Roman Catholic church was the European Union of its day. I could advance similar arguments for the other main religions.
Politics is about how we run our economic lives, defence, education, healthcare and all sorts of survival needs so you're right it's naturally very important. But also religion has traditionally been the identity around which the community is formed, so is arguably more foundational than politics.
In countries where large-scale religious observance is on the decline, I'm fascinated to see what if anything replaces it. Perhaps for some people political campaigning becomes an outlet for their moral beliefs and identity.
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