Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example

Thomas Jefferson The purpose of this paper is to address a few questions regarding Thomas Jefferson. The format that this paper will utilize is to first, identify the question then present a brief answer. Why did Jefferson believe that there needed to be a "separation of church and state" in the newly formed United States? Ultimately, Jefferson believed that the relationship that a person has with God is highly personal. By extension, having a legislature that seeks to enact laws and policies that dictate how the nation should worship God would in fact interfere with a person’s personal relationship with god.

Moreover, when the United States was engaging in their war of independence they were in fact trying to break off the rule of the British monarchy. From this perspective the separation of Church and state became a bit of a noble experiment insofar as they were trying a system that was different from England. According to Blond (2010) the rue of the Church of England still holds sway to this day. As a final example, it could be argued that Jefferson believed that people should be governed by the laws of man and not necessarily by the human interpretation of the laws of god.

According to White House Publications (2011) from one perspective, Jefferson was simply promoting religious freedom. How has Jefferson's ideas on the "separation of church and state" influenced our current governmental practices? One of the most significant ways that the separation of church and state has influenced our current government practices comes through our legal system. Although it may be the case that certain acts are forbidden in religious texts (Such as homosexuality) our legal system has determined that these acts should not be considered illegal.

As a second example the separation of church and state has affected our education system by ultimately promoting information that is historically and scientifically verified rather than based on information derived exclusively from religious texts. According to McKinley (2010) this may be contrary to the wishes of state legislators however it could be argued that the separating of church and state the country ultimately promotes a more advanced education system. References Blond, P. (December 22nd 2010) Why the Church of England is a Force for Good.

BBC [online] Available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12039559 Accessed on March 10th 2011. Mckinley, J (March 12th 2010) Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change. New York Times [online] Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html Accessed on March 10th 2011. White House Publications (2011) Thomas Jefferson Biography. [online] Available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson/ Accessed on March 10th 2011.