Virginia Statute On Religious Freedom

Portrait of Thomas Jefferson looking off towards the right. Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) was prevented by illness from attending the Virginia Convention of 1774 that met to talk over what to do in the aftermath of the Boston Tea Political party and the closing of the port of Boston by the British. Only Jefferson sent a paper to the convention, afterwards published as A Summary View of the Rights of British America. The force of its arguments and its literary quality led the Convention to elect Jefferson to serve in the Continental Congress.

Jefferson was besides anti-British to be made use of until a total pause with United kingdom had become inevitable. Then he was entrusted with drafting the Declaration of Independence. This assignment, and what he made of information technology, ensured Jefferson'south place as an apostle of liberty. In the Annunciation, and in his other writings, Jefferson was perchance the best spokesman we take had for the American ideals of liberty, equality, faith in education, and in the wisdom of the common human.But what Jefferson wanted to be remembered for, besides writing theProclamation of Independence, was writing the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and founding the Academy of Virginia.

Learn More:

Lecture: "Establishing Religious Liberty: Jefferson'south Statute in Virginia" by Thomas E. Buckley
Article: "The Disestablishment of Religion in Virginia: Dissenters, Private Rights, and the Separation of Church and State," by Debra R. Neill, The Virginia Mag of History and Biography, Vol. 127, No. 1 (2019), pp. ii-41
Manuscript: "A Memorial and Remonstrance: Presented to the Full general Assembly, of the state of Virginia at their session in 1785, in event of a pecker brought into that associates for the establishment of religion past police" by Isaiah Thomas, 1786. Call Number: Rare BV741 .V81.

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (annotated transcript)

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom is a statement about both freedom of censor and the principle of separation of church building and state. Written past Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Associates on January 16, 1786, it is the forerunner of the get-go subpoena protections for religious freedom. Divided into three paragraphs, the statute is rooted in Jefferson's philosophy. It could be passed in Virginia because Dissenting sects there (especially Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists) had petitioned strongly during the preceding decade for religious liberty, including the separation of church and country.

Jefferson had argued in the Announcement of Independence that "the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle [man]…." The starting time paragraph of the religious statute proclaims one of those entitlements, freedom of thought. To Jefferson, "Nature'south God," who is undeniably visible in the workings of the universe, gives man the freedom to choose his religious beliefs. This is the divinity whom deists of the time accepted—a God who created the world and is the final approximate of man, simply who does not arbitrate in the affairs of human. This God who gives man the freedom to believe or not to believe is also the God of the Christian sects.

I. Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence information technology by temporal punishment or burthens, or past civil incapacitations, tend only to afford habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy author of our religion, who existence Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it past coercions on either, as was his Almighty power to do . . .

The second paragraph is the human activity itself, which states that no person can be compelled to attend whatsoever church or support it with his taxes. It says that an individual is free to worship equally he pleases with no discrimination.

Two. Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no homo shall be compelled to frequent or back up any religious worship, identify, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his torso or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall exist free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, overstate, or touch on their ceremonious capacities.

The third paragraph reflects Jefferson's belief in the people's right, through their elected assemblies, to change any law. Hither, Jefferson states that this statute is not irrevocable because no police is (not even the Constitution). Future assemblies that choose to repeal or circumscribe the human action do so at their own peril, because this is "an infringement of natural right." Thus, Jefferson articulates his philosophy of both natural right and the sovereignty of the people.

III. And though nosotros well know that this assembly elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of legislation only, take no power to restrain the act of succeeding assemblies, constituted with powers equal to our own, and that therefore to declare this human activity to exist irrevocable would be of no event in law; yet we are free to declare, and do declare, that the rights hereby asserted are of the natural rights of mankind, and that if whatsoever act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the nowadays, or to narrow its operation, such as would be an infringement of natural correct.