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 To learn more about the book, see www.americapublications.org DOUBTING THOMAS contains previously unpublished documents including a dozen religious letters by Jefferson and two sermons by his pastor Charles Clay.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.

Jefferson Was a Good Statesman, But a Lousy Theologian

Our book, DOUBTING THOMAS by Mark Beliles and me, documents that Thomas Jefferson was not a lifelong skeptic. When he was most useful to the country, he was by all outward appearances a professing Christian. In fact, in 1777, on his own time, as a layman, he helped found and …

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Jefferson’s Doubts in the Christian Faith Begin to Emerge

[Pictured: founding father Benjamin Rush, mentioned in this blogpost.] Earlier in his life, when he was of great use to his country, Thomas Jefferson was by all outward appearances a believing Christian. Later, he came to harbor doubts about core Christian doctrines. But our book, Doubting Thomas, documents that he was not a …

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The “Christian” Source of Jefferson’s Later Anti-Trinity Views?

Here is a portion of the book by Dr. Mark Beliles and Jerry Newcombe on faith (or lack thereof, later in life) of Thomas Jefferson. The book is DOUBTING THOMAS, and it makes 2 overall points: 1) Jefferson was not a lifelong skeptic, and 2) Jefferson did not believe in …

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The Billy Graham of Jefferson’s Day Endorsed Jefferson

Lorenzo Dow was the Billy Graham of Thomas Jefferson’s day. Rev. Dow thought of Jefferson as a champion of religious freedom and as an active Christian. Later in life, on a private basis, Jefferson harbored some serious doubts about core Christian doctrines. Rev. Hugh White was another local minister who …

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