2. Where/When?
• The Virginia statute for religious freedom
was drafted in Fredericksburg, Virginia in
1779.
• This statue was enacted into Virginia’s
law by the Virginia General Assembly.
• The official day it was enacted was
January 16, 1786.
3. Why?
• 1) Giving people the freedom of picking which
church they wish to go to.
• 2) Allowing people the freedom to not pay
taxes to the church they go to.
• 3) To keep the churches' power away from the
states’ power.
• 4) To use as a precedent in the Bill of Rights of
the Constitution.
4. First Part of the Statute
• Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind
free; that all attempts to influence it by
temporal punishment or burthens, or by civil
incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of
hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure
from the plan of the Holy author of our
religion, who being Lord both of body and
mind, yet chose not to propagate it by
coercions on either, as was his Almighty power
to do . . .
5. What the First Part Means
• 1) The belief that God created the world.
• 2) The belief that God created the capacity for
man to rule himself.
• 3) The belief that God is not actively involved
in world affairs.
• 4) The belief that God has granted individuals
the freedom of conscience is religious matters.
6. Second Part of the Statute
• Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that no
man shall be compelled to frequent or support any
religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever,
nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or
burthened in his body or goods, nor shall
otherwise suffer on account of his religious
opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to
profess, and by argument to maintain, their
opinion in matters of religion, and that the same
shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their
civil capacities.
7. What the Second Part Means
• 1) The second part is the main part of the
entire statute.
• 2) No person must be forced to attend a
particular church.
• 3) No person must be forced to give taxes to
their church.
• 4) The belief that an individual is free to
worship as they please without discrimination.
8. Third Part of the Statute
• And though we well know that this assembly
elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of
legislation only, have no power to restrain the act
of succeeding assemblies, constituted with powers
equal to our own, and that therefore to declare this
act to be irrevocable would be of no effect in law;
yet we are free to declare, and do declare, that the
rights hereby asserted are of the natural rights of
mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter
passed to repeal the present, or to narrow its
operation, such as would be an infringement of
natural right.
9. What the Third Part Means
• 1) The belief in peoples’ rights to change any
laws through elected assemblies.
• 2) A statement that this statute is not
irrevocable.
• 3) That future assemblies that try to repeal this
act do so at their own peril.
• 4) Belief that if this statute is repealed then it is
"an infringement of natural right."
10. Separation of Church and State
• One of the main reasons for the creation of this
document was not just religious freedom, but
the idea of separating the Church and the State.
• Jefferson did not want the Church to be in
politics.
• Many of the founding fathers believed that if
the State should promote the Church and
advance religion, meanwhile not giving it
power in politics.
11. Effect on the Constitution
• The Statute had a great effect on the
Constitution while putting its ideas in the First
Amendment (Establishment Clause and the
Free Exercise Clause).
• The Establishment Clause and the Free
Exercise Clause both state that states that
"Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion".
12. Test
• 1) During what year was the Virginia Statute for Religious
Freedom approved.
• 2) Who was the founder of the Virginia Stature for Religious
Freedom?
• 3) Name two important things in the first part of the Statute.
• 4) Name two important things in the second part of the Statute.
• 5) Name two important things in the third part of the Statute.
• 6) The Statute focused on the separation of ___ and ___.
• 7) What two clauses did the Statute affect?
• 8) What part of the Constitution are the two Clauses found in?
13. Answers
• 1) 1786
• 2) Thomas Jefferson
• 3) a) The belief that God created the world.
b) The belief that God created the capacity for man to rule himself.
c) The belief that God is not actively involved in world affairs.
d) The belief that God has granted individuals the freedom of conscience is religious
matters.
• 4) a) The second part is the main part of the entire statute.
b) No person must be forced to attend a particular church.
c) No person must be forced to give taxes to their church.
d) The belief that an individual is free to worship as they please without discrimination.
• 5) a) The belief in peoples’ rights to change any laws through elected assemblies.
b) A statement that this statute is not irrevocable.
c) That future assemblies that try to repeal this act do so at their own peril.
d) Belief that if this statute is repealed then it is "an infringement of natural right.“
• 6) Church, State
• 7) Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Claus
• 8) First Amendment
