Jefferson Quotation

[David E. Guinn]

True at the time, but Jefferson clearly altered his thinking from the time he attempted to enact his bills on religion in Virginia to the time of his presidency where he refused to order days of thanksgiving and wrote his famous letter to the Baptists.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David W. New 
  To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics 
  Cc: RJLipkin at aol.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 2:29 PM
  Subject: Re: Jefferson Quotation


  In 1779, Thomas Jefferson personally wrote a Sabbath law for Virginia. See The Paper of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 2., pg. 555.published by Princeton University Press. See "A Bill for Punishing Disturbers of Religious Worship and Sabbath Breakers." Madison was able to get Jefferson's Sabbath Law passed on November 26, 1786. Six months later Madison was in Philadelphia attending the constitutional convention. Apparently, Jefferson believed that religion should influence government law and policy. David W. New, Attorney at Law.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: RJLipkin at aol.com 
    To: religionlaw at lists.ucla.edu 
    Cc: RJLipkin at aol.com 
    Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 2:18 PM
    Subject: Re: Jefferson Quotation


    In a message dated 9/21/2004 9:31:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, mstern at ajcongress.org writes:
      But what could Jefferson have meant by denying he sought a government
      without religion? How would he have allowed religion to manifest itself in
      government?

            Wouldn't this depend upon what Dr. William Linn meant by "a government without religion"?  Speculating on the meaning of this locution, it seems the following possibilities exist: (1) Jefferson sought a government where law was not derived from religious morality, but rather through the use of commonly accepted ideas (including religious ones) subjected to (and revised by) the critical scruitiny or reason. (2) Jefferson was a decided atheist and wished to divest government of anything smacking of religious concepts or values. (3) Jefferson sought to exclude particular religions, or the majority religion, from influencing government decisions. (4) Jefferson sought to exclude religious people from government, and (5) Jefferson believed in a sharp distinction between religious morality and secular morality.   

            From my incomplete study of Jefferson, only (1) strikes me as potentially true. What are some other possibilities?

    Bobby


    Robert Justin Lipkin
    Professor of Law
    Widener University School of Law
    Delaware


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