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Religious Freedom

"I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know."

Jefferson and Religion - What you need to know

Look Deeper: Jefferson and Religion

Video: Salome Bearing the Head of St. John the Baptist In this short video, Justin Bates takes us to the Parlor at Monticello to share the important story of this painting and its connections to religious freedom in America.
Live Q&A: Thomas Jefferson & Religion Thomas Jefferson, interpreted by Bill Barker, discuses his Christian upbringing, how he combined Enlightenment reason with faith, and how his views changed over the course of his life.

Jefferson, Religion, and Politics

A Wall of Separation While serving as President in 1802, Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptists, and intended for broad distribution, that the Constitution had created “a wall of separation between Church & State.”
Election of 1800 Edward Larson discusses the role religion played in the 1800 election. In this excerpt, he highlights some of the arguments, from the clever to the absurd, each side published in the months prior to the election.

Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

Virginia enacted "A Bill For establishing religious freedom" in 1786, ensuring "that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever," The Statute would go on to play a critical role in the development of American religious freedom and lay the groundwork for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Look Deeper at Virginia's Statue of Religious Freedom

Live Q&A with Thomas Jefferson on the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Passing the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom Monticello's John Ragosta discusses the development, passage, and shortcomings of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, an achievement Jefferson defined as one of his most important.

Jefferson's Personal Religious Ideas

Jefferson's Beliefs and Quotations Personally, Jefferson was deeply committed to core ethical teachings of Jesus, but he rejected Jesus’s divinity, resurrection, atonement, and original sin. He attended and contributed to a number of different churches and at various times described his beliefs as “Christianism” or “Unitarian.”
The Jefferson Bible Jefferson twice clipped verses from the New Testament of the Bible to create his own version of the four Gospels, leaving out what he deemed unsupportable, including the miracles, the resurrection, and the letters of the evangelists.

Look Deeper: Jefferson's Views


David Holmes, retired Professor of Religion at The College of William and Mary, lists out key points of Jefferson's religious beliefs. See more of this talk »

 

More Resources

The Shop at Monticello

The Jefferson Bible Thomas Jefferson put together "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" by extracting text from the Gospels in Greek, Latin, French and English. Known as "The Jefferson Bible," several editions are available for purchase.
Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an In this original and illuminating book, Denise A. Spellberg looks at the ideals that existed at our country's creation, and their fundamental implications for our present and future.
Religious Freedom: Jefferson's Legacy, America's Creed Historian and lawyer John Ragosta provides a new perspective on Jefferson, the First Amendment, and religious liberty within the United States.

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