Author Archives: Jerry Newcombe
Jefferson as Virginia Governor Did Not Separate God and State
Rewriting Laws for Religious Freedom in Post-Colonial Virginia
A general revision of all laws in Virginia was necessary once America was independent of England. Virginia’s leaders needed to decide how much of the English legal system they would keep as is, and what they would modify to more accurately represent them as independent Virginia Americans. Thomas Jefferson and his …
Thomas Jefferson Donated Money to a Christian School, Later Known as Washington and Lee
Jefferson Generously Supported Christian Causes
Our book “Doubting Thomas” shows that it’s a myth that Thomas Jefferson was a lifelong skeptic. In fact, he was very generous virtually all his life to many causes, including many Christian clauses. One man he supported a lot through the years—financially and in other ways—was an evangelical preacher, ordained …
For a Time, Jefferson’s Chosen Pastor Was an Evangelical
[File photo by Jerry Newcombe-interior of colonial American church] Recently, I quoted the opening portion of an agreement for the creation of a Christian church in Charlottesville that Thomas Jefferson wrote up in 1777. This provides ample evidence that he was a Christian at this stage of his life when …
The Idea Jefferson Was a Life-long Skeptic Is a Myth
Jefferson Takes Initiative to Help Found a Gospel-Preaching Church
[File photo by Jerry Newcombe-of a box pew in a colonial church] Concrete indications of Jefferson’s own religious beliefs began to be clear in the early months of 1777, as he took voluntary initiatives to support a new church in his town. The legislature had created a new Anglican parish eastward in …
Jefferson and Religious Freedom—a Concern of His as a Virginia Legislator (Burgess)
In the capital of Williamsburg on October 11, 1776 Thomas Jefferson joined the committee on religion in the legislature and began meeting with many dissenting clergymen. A Dissenter was one who was not part of the government-favored denomination (i.e. Anglicans) and who wished the laws to be revised in favor …
Jefferson and a Proposed Seal for America
[Pictured: Moses] While in Congress in 1776, Thomas Jefferson served on a committee to propose a national seal for authenticating official documents. Jefferson proposed on August 20 they use an image of “…the Israelites: rays from a pillar of fire in the cloud, expressive of the divine presence, and command, reaching …