We have been given the impression that Thomas Jefferson was a lifelong skeptic and not someone involved with church. That impression is not accurate. Our book, DOUBTING THOMAS, shows that Jefferson was quite actively involved in the church—basically all his life, when it was available to him. As president, Jefferson …
Yearly Archives: 2018
President Jefferson Was Active at Church
The Christian Environment in Which Jefferson Lived
In Jefferson’s day, when he was in the White House, there were many camp meetings in his Albemarle County and the surrounding area. These were “revivals” of evangelical religion The chief organizer of these camp meeting revivals in Central Virginia was Methodist Rev. Henry Fry. Jefferson and Fry knew each other …
Jefferson And Campmeeting Evangelists
The idea that Thomas Jefferson was a lifelong skeptic is not accurate. Later in life, he privately harbored some serious doubts of core Christian doctrines. Meanwhile, while he was president, he did support morally, financially, and often with his presence, various Christian meetings and Christian leaders. Here is what we …
After the Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase sparked some correspondence on religious matters. As chief executive over the new federal Louisiana Territory Jefferson received a letter from the federally appointed Governor of Louisiana, William Claiborne, on June 15, 1804. It included a letter from Rev. Soeur Therese de St. Xavier Farjon, and 11 …
First Version of the So-Called Jefferson Bible
Jefferson Had Regular and Mostly Positive Interactions with Various Clergymen
Rev. William Pryce, of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware, wrote to Jefferson asking for his subscription for his very orthodox book about the life of Jesus, and Jefferson replied from Washington on October 15, 1803: “Your favor of the 10 is duly recieved, and I subscribe with great pleasure to the work …
I Got to Talk About Thomas Jefferson on Dr. Dobson’s Program Recently
Jefferson and Private Doubts
To make Thomas Jefferson into a born again Christian is a misrepresentation. But it’s also wrong to present our third president as a lifelong skeptic. From all outward appearances, he was a Christian early in life, who later came to privately doubt some core Christian documents. In either event, he …
Jefferson Claimed to Be a Christian
[Jerry Newcombe at the Jefferson Memorial.] Contrary to the notion that Thomas Jefferson was a lifelong skeptic of Christianity, he claimed to be a Christian. However, not all professors of Christianity are possessors of true faith. Only God is the judge. Meanwhile, Jefferson claimed to be a Christian, but in …