Jeffersons Wall

No phrase in American letters has had a more profound influence on church-state law, policy, and discourse than Thomas Jefferson's "wall of separation between church and state," and few metaphors have provoked more passionate debate.

Church and State examines the wall of separation Thomas Jefferson spoke of in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter from them written in October 1801. The Danbury Baptists were a religious minority in Connecticut, and they complained that in their state, the religious liberties they enjoyed were not seen as immutable rights, but as privileges granted by the legislatureas favors granted. Jeffersons reply did not address their concerns about problems with state establishment of religiononly of establishment on the national level. The letter contains the phrase wall of separation between church and state, which led to the shorthand for the Establishment Clause that we use today: separation of church and state. The Jeffersonian view has been contentious, to say the least; a great many scholars and politicians have tried to comprehend Jeffersons true meaning, extending his viewpoint in later judicial and legislative decisions. Strong feelings expressed by clergy, statesmen, and politicians have created a strong theistic undertow in Constitutional Law that has seen attacks on Christianity and Judaism increase since the Clinton Administration and culminating into a cacophony of anti-theistic rhetoric under the Obama Administration. With the election of President Trump, we must look back to see the original intent of our founding fathers, take a snapshot of the current state of separation, and peer into the future to see if the balance between politics and religion can be sustained.

Church and State examines the wall of separation Thomas Jefferson spoke of in his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter from them written in October 1801. The Danbury Baptists were a religious minority in Connecticut, and they complained that in their state, the religious liberties they enjoyed were not seen as immutable rights, but as privileges granted by the legislatureas favors granted. Jeffersons reply did not address their concerns about problems with state establishment of religiononly of establishment on the national level. The letter contains the phrase wall of separation between church and state, which led to the shorthand for the Establishment Clause that we use today: separation of church and state. The Jeffersonian view has been contentious, to say the least; a great many scholars and politicians have tried to comprehend Jeffersons true meaning, extending his viewpoint in later judicial and legislative decisions. Strong feelings expressed by clergy, statesmen, and politicians have created a strong theistic undertow in Constitutional Law that has seen attacks on Christianity and Judaism increase since the Clinton Administration and culminating into a cacophony of anti-theistic rhetoric under the Obama Administration. With the election of President Trump, we must look back to see the original intent of our founding fathers, take a snapshot of the current state of separation, and peer into the future to see if the balance between politics and religion can be sustained.

Discusses the relationship between the secularization of American society and Supreme Court decisions regarding the separation of church and state and offers a judicial alternative.

Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, leaving behind a series of mysteries that captured the imaginations of historical investigators-an interest rekindled by the recent revelation that he fathered a child by Sally Hemmings, a woman he legally owned-yet there is still surprisingly little known about him as a man. In Jefferson's Secrets Andrew Burstein focuses on Jefferson's last days to create an emotionally powerful portrait of the uncensored private citizen who was also a giant of a man. Drawing on sources previous biographers have glossed over or missed entirely, Burstein uncovers, first and foremost, how Jefferson confronted his own mortality; and in doing so, he reveals how he viewed his sexual choices. Delving into Jefferson's soul, Burstein lays bare the president's thoughts about his own legacy, his predictions for American democracy, and his feelings regarding women and religion. The result is a moving and surprising work of history that sets a new standard, post-DNA, for the next generation's reassessment of the most evocative and provocative of this country's founders.

The First Amendment Religion Clause: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” This book takes an in-depth look at the religion clause portion of the First Amendment using historical documents and letters. In chapter one examples are given of the historical reasons for why the Framers of the First Amendment (the Founding Fathers) thought it was necessary to list religion as part of the Bill of Rights in the manner that they did. In chapter two documentation is presented showing how they applied it during their times of service in government. The application of the 14th Amendment is examined along with whether or not it should be applied to the 1st Amendment based on the history of both. In chapter three a complete analysis is made of Thomas Jefferson’s “wall of separation” letter, and in chapter four an in-depth investigation is taken into Jefferson’s Virginian Act for Establishing Religious Freedom, James Madison’s Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments, and Madison’s Detached Memoranda essay on religion and government interaction. These documents, along with others examined in this book, display the Founding Fathers’ views as to why there is a religious clause, and what its proper application should be between church (that is, religion) and state. This book also contains present day solutions for how the government could act legally and constitutionally regarding religion (and related religious books) and toward those who claim religious reasons as their motivation to physically harm others. History reveals the continued purpose and need for the Religion Clause in the Bill of Rights.

Have you ever seen flashes of darkness where there should only be light? Ever seen shadows skitter past out of the corner of your eyes and looked, only to find nothing there? Forced into a sabbatical following his affair with an undergrad student, university professor Jim Grayson rents Holloway Farm for the summer, in the hope the time away from his wife would help salvage their marriage. But all is not what it seems at the secluded farmhouse and he soon finds himself at the mercy of powers beyond his understanding. The Other Side of the Wall is a spine-tingling short story from bestselling supernatural thriller author AD Starrling. If you like tales of things that go bump in the night, then this story will make you shiver. Visit Shop AD Starrling to get digitally signed books and discounted bundles!

Noted historian Barton sets the record straight on the lies and misunderstandings that have tarnished the legacy of Thomas Jefferson.

For over one hundred years, Thomas Jefferson and his Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom have stood at the center of our understanding of religious liberty and the First Amendment. Jefferson’s expansive vision—including his insistence that political freedom and free thought would be at risk if we did not keep government out of the church and church out of government—enjoyed a near consensus of support at the Supreme Court and among historians, until Justice William Rehnquist called reliance on Jefferson "demonstrably incorrect." Since then, Rehnquist’s call has been taken up by a bevy of jurists and academics anxious to encourage renewed government involvement with religion. In Religious Freedom: Jefferson’s Legacy, America’s Creed, the historian and lawyer John Ragosta offers a vigorous defense of Jefferson’s advocacy for a strict separation of church and state. Beginning with a close look at Jefferson’s own religious evolution, Ragosta shows that deep religious beliefs were at the heart of Jefferson’s views on religious freedom. Basing his analysis on that Jeffersonian vision, Ragosta redefines our understanding of how and why the First Amendment was adopted. He shows how the amendment’s focus on maintaining the authority of states to regulate religious freedom demonstrates that a very strict restriction on federal action was intended. Ultimately revealing that the great sage demanded a firm separation of church and state but never sought a wholly secular public square, Ragosta provides a new perspective on Jefferson, the First Amendment, and religious liberty within the United States.