Religious freedom : Jefferson's legacy, America's creed /
Ragosta, John A.
Religious freedom : Jefferson's legacy, America's creed / John Ragosta. - Charlottesville : University of Virginia Press, 2013. - 293 pages ; 25 cm. - Jeffersonian America . - Jeffersonian America. .
Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-286) and index.
Thomas Jefferson's religion and religious liberty -- Virginia's establishment and the revolutionary battle for religious liberty -- The Virginia statute for establishing religious freedom -- The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution : a Jeffersonian compromise -- From the First Amendment to Reynolds : Jefferson ascendant -- Federal control : Jefferson's vision in our times -- Jefferson's enduring legacy -- Documentary appendix: Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom (original and edited versions) -- Memorial & remonstrance against religious assessments -- First Amendment to the United States Constitution -- Memorial from the General Convention of Virginia Presbyterians, August 13, 1785 (Bethel) -- Resolution of the Virginia Baptist General Convention, August 13, 1785 -- Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists, January 1, 1802, and related letters to Levi Lincoln and from Gideon Granger regarding the letter to the Danbury Baptists.
Offers a defense of Thomas Jefferson's advocacy for a strict separation of church and state by examining his views on religious freedom. Shows how the First Amendment's focus on maintaining the authority of states to regulate religious freedom demonstrates that Jefferson demanded a firm separation of church and state within the United States but never sought a wholly secular public square. "For over one hundred years, Thomas Jefferson and his Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom have stood at the center of our understanding of religious liberty and the First Amendment. Jefferson's expansive vision--including his insistence that political freedom and free thought would be at risk if we did not keep government out of the church and church out of government--enjoyed a near consensus of support at the Supreme Court and among historians, until Justice William Rehnquist called reliance on Jefferson "demonstrably incorrect." Since then, Rehnquist's call has been taken up by a bevy of jurists and academics anxious to encourage renewed government involvement with religion. In Religious Freedom: Jefferson's Legacy, America's Creed, the historian and lawyer John Ragosta offers a vigorous defense of Jefferson's advocacy for a strict separation of church and state. Beginning with a close look at Jefferson's own religious evolution, Ragosta shows that deep religious beliefs were at the heart of Jefferson's views on religious freedom. Basing his analysis on that Jeffersonian vision, Ragosta redefines our understanding of how and why the First Amendment was adopted. He shows how the amendment's focus on maintaining the authority of states to regulate religious freedom demonstrates that a very strict restriction on federal action was intended. Ultimately revealing that the great sage demanded a firm separation of church and state but never sought a wholly secular public square, Ragosta provides a new perspective on Jefferson, the First Amendment, and religious liberty within the United States."--Publisher's description.
9780813933702 0813933706 9780813933719 0813933714
2012033620
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 --Religion.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 --Political and social views.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826.
Jefferson, Thomas 1743-1826
Virginia. Act for Establishing Religious Freedom.
Act for establishing religious freedom (Virginia)
1700-1799
Freedom of religion--History--United States--18th century.
Freedom of religion--History--Virginia--18th century.
Church and state--History--United States--18th century.
Church and state--History--Virginia--18th century.
Church and state.
Freedom of religion.
Political and social views.
Religion.
Religionsfreiheit
United States.
Virginia.
USA.
History.
E332.2 / .R35 2013
973.4/6092
Religious freedom : Jefferson's legacy, America's creed / John Ragosta. - Charlottesville : University of Virginia Press, 2013. - 293 pages ; 25 cm. - Jeffersonian America . - Jeffersonian America. .
Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-286) and index.
Thomas Jefferson's religion and religious liberty -- Virginia's establishment and the revolutionary battle for religious liberty -- The Virginia statute for establishing religious freedom -- The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution : a Jeffersonian compromise -- From the First Amendment to Reynolds : Jefferson ascendant -- Federal control : Jefferson's vision in our times -- Jefferson's enduring legacy -- Documentary appendix: Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom (original and edited versions) -- Memorial & remonstrance against religious assessments -- First Amendment to the United States Constitution -- Memorial from the General Convention of Virginia Presbyterians, August 13, 1785 (Bethel) -- Resolution of the Virginia Baptist General Convention, August 13, 1785 -- Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists, January 1, 1802, and related letters to Levi Lincoln and from Gideon Granger regarding the letter to the Danbury Baptists.
Offers a defense of Thomas Jefferson's advocacy for a strict separation of church and state by examining his views on religious freedom. Shows how the First Amendment's focus on maintaining the authority of states to regulate religious freedom demonstrates that Jefferson demanded a firm separation of church and state within the United States but never sought a wholly secular public square. "For over one hundred years, Thomas Jefferson and his Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom have stood at the center of our understanding of religious liberty and the First Amendment. Jefferson's expansive vision--including his insistence that political freedom and free thought would be at risk if we did not keep government out of the church and church out of government--enjoyed a near consensus of support at the Supreme Court and among historians, until Justice William Rehnquist called reliance on Jefferson "demonstrably incorrect." Since then, Rehnquist's call has been taken up by a bevy of jurists and academics anxious to encourage renewed government involvement with religion. In Religious Freedom: Jefferson's Legacy, America's Creed, the historian and lawyer John Ragosta offers a vigorous defense of Jefferson's advocacy for a strict separation of church and state. Beginning with a close look at Jefferson's own religious evolution, Ragosta shows that deep religious beliefs were at the heart of Jefferson's views on religious freedom. Basing his analysis on that Jeffersonian vision, Ragosta redefines our understanding of how and why the First Amendment was adopted. He shows how the amendment's focus on maintaining the authority of states to regulate religious freedom demonstrates that a very strict restriction on federal action was intended. Ultimately revealing that the great sage demanded a firm separation of church and state but never sought a wholly secular public square, Ragosta provides a new perspective on Jefferson, the First Amendment, and religious liberty within the United States."--Publisher's description.
9780813933702 0813933706 9780813933719 0813933714
2012033620
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 --Religion.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 --Political and social views.
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826.
Jefferson, Thomas 1743-1826
Virginia. Act for Establishing Religious Freedom.
Act for establishing religious freedom (Virginia)
1700-1799
Freedom of religion--History--United States--18th century.
Freedom of religion--History--Virginia--18th century.
Church and state--History--United States--18th century.
Church and state--History--Virginia--18th century.
Church and state.
Freedom of religion.
Political and social views.
Religion.
Religionsfreiheit
United States.
Virginia.
USA.
History.
E332.2 / .R35 2013
973.4/6092