DOUBTING THOMAS by Mark Beliles and Jerry Newcombe

When Jefferson was a young man he acted as a professing Trinitarian Christian

In 1777. Jefferson helped found an evangelical church

Now in print---for the first time ever---many religious letters and 2 sermons from the church that Jefferson funded and attended

Jefferson encouraged non-coercive religion in public life and the right of state governments to decide religious policy

DOUBTING THOMAS by Mark Beliles and Jerry Newcombe

This new book presents new evidence that calls into question the view that Jefferson was a lifelong skeptic and that he believed in the "naked public square"

When Jefferson was a young man he acted as a professing Trinitarian Christian

Later in life Jefferson changed in his views, privately, to a more unorthodox position. But the point here is that he was not a lifelong skeptic.

In 1777. Jefferson helped found an evangelical church

The same year he wrote the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, Thomas Jefferson helped create the Calvinistical Reformed Church of Charlottesville.

Now in print---for the first time ever---many religious letters and 2 sermons from the church that Jefferson funded and attended

DOUBTING THOMAS contains in the Appendix about a dozen religious letters of Jefferson that have never been in print before now, plus two sermons by Rev. Charles Clay, whose ministry Jefferson supported.

Jefferson encouraged non-coercive religion in public life and the right of state governments to decide religious policy

Jefferson approved and attended regularly the Christian worship services held Sundays at the US Capitol building and in his local courthouse. He refrained from issuing national religious proclamations but had no objection to state proclamations.

Fresh Insights About Jefferson's Religious Views Based on NEW Evidence

"DOUBTING THOMAS? The Religious Life and Legacy of Thomas Jefferson" by MARK A. BELILES and JERRY NEWCOMBE deals with the faith---or the lack thereof---of one of our most important founding fathers. But this volume provides NEW information, some of which has not been in print before. To learn more about the book, see www.americapublications.org DOUBTING THOMAS contains previously unpublished documents including a dozen religious letters by Jefferson and two sermons by his pastor Charles Clay. Jefferson voluntarily joined and donated to Clay’s Calvinistical Reformed Church of Charlottesville.

“Doubting Thomas” Co-Author Mark Beliles Co-creates “Healing 4 Charlottesville”

[Photo of Dr. Mark Beliles and Dr. Alvin Edwards of “Healing 4 Charlottesville” on a prayer walk. Photo by Cathrynn Lowenstein] Bad news gets press. “If it bleeds, it leads.” Good news tends not to spread as well and as far. We all know about the horrible events of August …

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Politics Can Be a Dirty Business

Politics can be a dirty business. Just ask Thomas Jefferson. Some of the negative things being said about Jefferson, questioning whether he was a Christian, first came out as political statements against the Virginia politician when he was running for president in 1800. This helped create a misleading image of …

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Politics and Muckraking in 1800—Accusing Jefferson of Being an Infidel

During the election of 1800, there was a great deal of acrimony. Some of the charges against Thomas Jefferson, alleging that he wasn’t a Christian were hurled at him at that time—because of political reasons. We address this in our book, Doubting Thomas. It’s hard to imagine muckraking by politicians …

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Politics Seemed to Sour Worsening Relations Between Jefferson and Some Clergy

Was Thomas Jefferson an atheist or skeptic? To hear some modern commentators you would think so. But in our book, Doubting Thomas, Dr. Mark Beliles and I show that the modern idea of Thomas Jefferson as a lifelong skeptic of Christianity does not fit the facts. After a few decades …

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