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Doubting Thomas: The Religious Life and Legacy of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers intended a strict separation of church and state, right? He would have been very upset to find out about a child praying in a public school or a government building used for religious purposes, correct? Actually, the history on this has been very distorted. While Jefferson may seem to be the Patron Saint of the ACLU, his words and actions showed that he would totally disagree with the idea of driving God out of the public square. Doubting Thomas documents that. . . * Jefferson said that our rights come from God. God-given rights are non-negotiables. * At the time that he wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom---major contributions to human and religious rights―Jefferson served diligently as a vestryman (like an elder and a deacon rolled into one) for the Episcopal Church. * In 1777, he wrote up the charter for the Calvinistical Reformed Church in his town with an evangelical preacher, the Rev. Charles Clay--with whom he had a lifelong friendship. Jefferson was the biggest single contributor to this fledgling congregation. * Jefferson had nothing but the highest praise for Jesus’ teaching, which he studied religiously (even in the original Greek), in order to pattern his life after that which he called “the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man.” * As president, he attended church on a regular basis at the US Capitol building, even sometimes recommending preachers to fill that pulpit. * He had many positive relationships with orthodox clergymen and active lay Christians. * He actively supported Christian causes, financially, in ways that would put the average Christian to shame. * He set out to create a non-denominational college that accommodated Christian groups of different stripes. And on it goes. Historical revisionism has distorted the religious views of Thomas Jefferson, making him far more skeptical than he was. But there is no doubt that by the end of his life, he seemed to privately embrace Unitarian views of the Christian faith, while outwardly supporting and attending his local Trinitarian church. Thus, a legacy of Jefferson’s has been taken out of context and used to squelch religious freedom in America. Ironically, religious freedom was one of Jefferson’s core beliefs and contributions. But this is being turned on its head. Chiseled in stone at the Jefferson Memorial are his famous “The God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?” Regardless of Jefferson’s private religious views, he stood solidly against the state making theological decisions for its people. Therefore, he would stand solidly against the anti-Christian crusade being carried out in his name today. It’s time to set the record straight.
- GenresHistory
520 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 10, 2021
There are essentially two books here, mashed together into one. One is a fascinating scholarly examination of Jefferson's writings and practices respecting religion. It breaks new ground and brings attention to previously unknown or neglected documents/events. The other is an unpersuasive polemic against supposed efforts by modern Jefferson-quoting secularists to persecute Christians as they seek to implement state-mandated atheism. Sadly, the reader is unable to benefit from one without being subjected to the other.
That makes this a difficult book to rate. On the one hand, the authors have done an impressive and scholarly job of gathering all the evidence of Jefferson's religious opinions and behavior, unearthing important but neglected information (the new information about Jefferson's relationship to Rev. Charles Clay is especially interesting). They demonstrate convincingly, in my humble opinion, that claims of Jefferson's supposed irreligiosity are often unfounded or exaggerated. Clearly Jefferson was neither an atheist nor a Deist. They deal reasonably and fairly with the large body of evidence that shows Jefferson to have been an acknowledged and openly practicing Christian, while at the same time being privately unorthodox. Essentially, the evidence shows that Jefferson was a Unitarian, who acceded only to claims about Christianity and its founder that he found intelligible, and who rejected those that he did not. But he shared his beliefs only with confidants and friends, never attempting to be an apologist or evangelist. As Jefferson himself put it in a private letter written in 1816, at age 73: "I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we are accountable to him, and not to priests. I never told my own religion, nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I have ever judged the religion of others by their lives.... For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read."
On the other hand, much of the book is devoted to bouncing between trying to enlist Jefferson as an ally on the evangelical side of the church/state culture war and arguing why Jefferson's unorthodox views were/are wrong. The book concludes with a little less than an actual sermon.
Those who come to this book out of an interest in the role of religion in Jefferson's life and thought, will likely have little or no interest in contemporary political squabbling or evangelical apologetics. Likewise, those who are seeking a book on such things will likely have no interest in the deep historical detail about Jefferson.
In the end I give the book a reluctant 4 stars, on the strength of the first half. I am grateful for the authors' research and their book has helped me deepen and refine my understanding of Jefferson's religious life and thought.
The biggest question this book raises, in my opinion, is one never addressed by the authors: why do Jefferson's religious opinions matter? Why is it so seemingly important to those on either side of a dispute over American political or social policy to have Jefferson in their camp? John Adams' religious views were very similar to Jefferson's, for example, but partisans aren't agonizing over how to get Adams onto their team. It is an extraordinary testimony to an extraordinary man that, almost two centuries after his death, partisans of all stripes still find it important to enlist Mr. Jefferson's memory to their cause. For a great analysis of that fascinating subject, I highly recommend Merrill Peterson's 1960 book The Jefferson Image in the American Mind .
That makes this a difficult book to rate. On the one hand, the authors have done an impressive and scholarly job of gathering all the evidence of Jefferson's religious opinions and behavior, unearthing important but neglected information (the new information about Jefferson's relationship to Rev. Charles Clay is especially interesting). They demonstrate convincingly, in my humble opinion, that claims of Jefferson's supposed irreligiosity are often unfounded or exaggerated. Clearly Jefferson was neither an atheist nor a Deist. They deal reasonably and fairly with the large body of evidence that shows Jefferson to have been an acknowledged and openly practicing Christian, while at the same time being privately unorthodox. Essentially, the evidence shows that Jefferson was a Unitarian, who acceded only to claims about Christianity and its founder that he found intelligible, and who rejected those that he did not. But he shared his beliefs only with confidants and friends, never attempting to be an apologist or evangelist. As Jefferson himself put it in a private letter written in 1816, at age 73: "I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we are accountable to him, and not to priests. I never told my own religion, nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I have ever judged the religion of others by their lives.... For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read."
On the other hand, much of the book is devoted to bouncing between trying to enlist Jefferson as an ally on the evangelical side of the church/state culture war and arguing why Jefferson's unorthodox views were/are wrong. The book concludes with a little less than an actual sermon.
Those who come to this book out of an interest in the role of religion in Jefferson's life and thought, will likely have little or no interest in contemporary political squabbling or evangelical apologetics. Likewise, those who are seeking a book on such things will likely have no interest in the deep historical detail about Jefferson.
In the end I give the book a reluctant 4 stars, on the strength of the first half. I am grateful for the authors' research and their book has helped me deepen and refine my understanding of Jefferson's religious life and thought.
The biggest question this book raises, in my opinion, is one never addressed by the authors: why do Jefferson's religious opinions matter? Why is it so seemingly important to those on either side of a dispute over American political or social policy to have Jefferson in their camp? John Adams' religious views were very similar to Jefferson's, for example, but partisans aren't agonizing over how to get Adams onto their team. It is an extraordinary testimony to an extraordinary man that, almost two centuries after his death, partisans of all stripes still find it important to enlist Mr. Jefferson's memory to their cause. For a great analysis of that fascinating subject, I highly recommend Merrill Peterson's 1960 book The Jefferson Image in the American Mind .
August 30, 2025
3.5. The authors make their point that Thomas Jefferson was not the Deist nor Skeptic he's often depicted to be in modern histories.
With over 1,000 references they show that Jefferson regularly attended Christian church services throughout his lifetime and monetarily supported several Christian communities. While he was President he attended attended church services held on Sundays in the House chambers.
With over 1,000 references they show that Jefferson regularly attended Christian church services throughout his lifetime and monetarily supported several Christian communities. While he was President he attended attended church services held on Sundays in the House chambers.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews