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Modern Misconceptions On The Wall Of Separation: An Analysis On The Influence And Misinterpretation Of Jefferson’S Separation Of Church And State, Marissa Swope
Senior Honors Theses
The symbolic concept of separation between church and state defines the relationship between government and religion. While Jefferson did not author the phrase, the third President of the United States promoted the philosophy of a wall of separation between church and state in his letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. Jefferson’s support for a wall of separation stemmed from a strong belief in liberty of conscience and relied heavily upon the conviction to protect religious liberty. Through an analysis on the contextual history of the phrase, the original intent and application of separation of church and state becomes evident. …
Religious Ideas In The Declaration Of Independence: Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, And The American Mind, Kristina Benham
Religious Ideas In The Declaration Of Independence: Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, And The American Mind, Kristina Benham
Senior Honors Theses
This thesis is an analysis of the religious statements of the Declaration of Independence. It examines contemporary uses of Locke’s ideas on natural rights and created equality in newspapers, town meetings, colonial governments, speeches, and sermons. It also identifies uses of Locke’s works in religious sources in the decades before the Revolution. Locke’s ideas became especially important to arguments in favor of religious liberty for dissenters during and after the First Great Awakening. These analyses connect to both his Two Treatises of Government and his A Letter Concerning Toleration. These works parallel to the writings and protests of colonial …