"A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education Lisa L Ball 9781482502787 Books
Download As PDF : "A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education Lisa L Ball 9781482502787 Books
The role of traditional Protestant religion in American public life was altered dramatically by the rise of Unitarianism. American Unitarianism was theologically and philosophically opposed to many tenants of orthodox Protestant theology and actively sought to eradicate its long-standing influence and authority over the American public. Public education became one of the primary means by which the Unitarian sought to accomplish this goal. Thomas Jefferson, a Unitarian and one of the greatest contributors to the development of public education of his time, saw it as an unparalleled opportunity to gain influence over the minds of America's youth, instill Unitarian ideals, and challenge what he believed to be the public stronghold of protestant orthodoxy. This examination of the Unitarian religious influence on Thomas Jefferson's educational philosophy and practice sheds additional light on the contemporary debate over the proper relationship between religion and American public life.
"A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education Lisa L Ball 9781482502787 Books
This interesting, short book presents the following theses. Thomas Jefferson was a devout adherent of a religion, namely, Unitarianism (which, as the author demonstrates, was distinct from Christianity). In his public and political role with respect to education in his state of Virginia, Jefferson attempted to have his religious doctrines taught at the expense of the doctrines of Protestant Christianity that prevailed in the state.A major lack in the work is absence of any mention of Jefferson's actions with respect to religion and education while he was President. It certainly would have bearing on the validity of the author's theses to know if he did or did not manifest on a national level the preferential behavior she describes him to have shown in Virginia.
An aside: Ball argues that Evangelical historians' allegation that Jefferson (and other founding fathers) did not intend "to bar religion from public life" is "a projection of modern religious and theological understandings onto the historical terminology" and is wrong.
Accepting Ball's facts about Jefferson's actions, the question remains, was he acting merely as a sectarian opposing a sect whose tenets were different? If one starts with the identification of Jefferson as a Unitarian, and explains his behavior as determined by his religion, then one can interpret his behavior as sectarian. But Ball does not address the matter of w h y Jefferson was a Unitarian. And, as she herself notes, "Unitarians were more zealous in detecting what they thought to be the errors and weaknesses of traditional Protestantism than they were in establishing the positive side of their own doctrines and beliefs." Unitarianism was "a negation of the beliefs of orthodox Protestantism." It was a loose collection of ideas ("doctrines" may be too strong a word) that permitted people to hold a belief in God without having to subscribe to what they recognized as irrational and divisive features of Christianity.
Jefferson was steadfast in his convictions that much of Christianity was superstition, and that if it were used as a basis for political decisions it would be harmful to the young Republic. He and his contemporaries knew from recent history that state support of a church necessarily results in denial of liberty and in oppression. If Jefferson was a Unitarian b e c a u s e he opposed not only the beliefs, but also the social and political behavior and effects of American Christianity, then his actions with respect to education in Virginia appear in a different light than they would if his Unitarianism had come first.
Simple denial of Christianity would not provide any foundation on which to argue or to act; Unitarians (and other unbelievers) had to possess some ideas of their own about religion. And when Jefferson attempted to block the influence of orthodox Protestants in Virginia's public elementary schools and university, he could not merely say, "They're wrong." He had to present alternatives to the ideas of orthodoxy. Now, however he arrived at his personal views he would of course regard them as the best alternative. And unlike the Protestants, Unitarians did not hold their opinions as a result of indoctrination in childhood, but--at least to a large extent--as a result of reasoning about religion. Jefferson was not advocating replacement of one set of religious doctrines with another; he wanted to base education on a rational, evidentiary, secular p r i n c i p l e different from the authoritarian principle of revelational religion.
Ball concludes with these remarks: "[Jefferson] became...a Unitarian evangelist of sorts, encouraging, through public education, the spread of Unitarianism.... It is in this light that Jefferson's 'wall' metaphor [of a barrier between the state and religion] ought to be considered." One might interpret this to mean that because Jefferson himself did not keep his religious views out of government affairs, one is allowed to disregard the concerns he expressed about the adverse effects of religion in government. Another intepretation, however, is that when he failed to follow his own principle, Jefferson was acting as a theist, and thereby demonstrated that a l l theism, be it orthodox Protestantism, liberal Unitarianism, or something else, will, when used as a basis for deciding public policy, result in bias and injustice. On this view, Jefferson's behavior is an instance of "do as I say, not as I do"--a substantiation of the fears he expressed about mingling the state with the church.
"A Quiet Euthanasia": Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education"A Quiet Euthanasia": Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education
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Tags : A Quiet Euthanasia : Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education [Lisa L. Ball] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <span id= caseCorrespondence_25338474165_text >The role of traditional Protestant religion in American public life was altered dramatically by the rise of Unitarianism. American Unitarianism was theologically and philosophically opposed to many tenants of orthodox Protestant theology and actively sought to eradicate its long-standing influence and authority over the American public. Public education became one of the primary means by which the Unitarian sought to accomplish this goal. Thomas Jefferson,Lisa L. Ball,"A Quiet Euthanasia": Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education,Wild Birch Books,148250278X,HISTORY United States 19th Century
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"A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education Lisa L Ball 9781482502787 Books Reviews
This wonderful book takes up the history of a conflict over the purpose of the American education system. While the main purpose seems to be twofold (first, that Jefferson was not espousing some value-neutral rationality, but a politico-religious belief that took inclusion/exclusion as a central principle; second, that the founding fathers were not univocal or as straightforward as presented by the religious-right), there are many subtler points made throughout.
For one, it shows how political struggles take on a different character due to unequal power relations. Thus, a relatively small group of individuals, the Unitarians, can leave an indelible mark on the American education system as against a Protestant majority that was not necessarily open to different perspectives (the history of the Quakers would seem to suggest, anyway). Another is how the control of education is seen as control of the next generation. Even if Jefferson did not view his own program as being one of indoctrination, he feared that Protestant domination of the University would cripple the next generation in their rational and critical capacities. The battle for the educational system thus was the battle for exclusive rights of social reproduction.
While the book could have been expanded to include Jefferson's presidency, I can't view this as a failing. The central point of the book is not religion or Jefferson. Furthermore, I feel it succeeds in its own terms, which is to take a more or less single example in great depth, provide context, provide analysis, and draw conclusions about the nature of religious contestations in that age of American history. (Also, though my readinig is not extensive in this field and despite its length, it is the most depth work I've seen on this specific topic in any book on the same period.)
It is a brief and highly informative take on a particularly American historical event. Definitely worth reading if you have any interest whatever in the subject matter.
This interesting, short book presents the following theses. Thomas Jefferson was a devout adherent of a religion, namely, Unitarianism (which, as the author demonstrates, was distinct from Christianity). In his public and political role with respect to education in his state of Virginia, Jefferson attempted to have his religious doctrines taught at the expense of the doctrines of Protestant Christianity that prevailed in the state.
A major lack in the work is absence of any mention of Jefferson's actions with respect to religion and education while he was President. It certainly would have bearing on the validity of the author's theses to know if he did or did not manifest on a national level the preferential behavior she describes him to have shown in Virginia.
An aside Ball argues that Evangelical historians' allegation that Jefferson (and other founding fathers) did not intend "to bar religion from public life" is "a projection of modern religious and theological understandings onto the historical terminology" and is wrong.
Accepting Ball's facts about Jefferson's actions, the question remains, was he acting merely as a sectarian opposing a sect whose tenets were different? If one starts with the identification of Jefferson as a Unitarian, and explains his behavior as determined by his religion, then one can interpret his behavior as sectarian. But Ball does not address the matter of w h y Jefferson was a Unitarian. And, as she herself notes, "Unitarians were more zealous in detecting what they thought to be the errors and weaknesses of traditional Protestantism than they were in establishing the positive side of their own doctrines and beliefs." Unitarianism was "a negation of the beliefs of orthodox Protestantism." It was a loose collection of ideas ("doctrines" may be too strong a word) that permitted people to hold a belief in God without having to subscribe to what they recognized as irrational and divisive features of Christianity.
Jefferson was steadfast in his convictions that much of Christianity was superstition, and that if it were used as a basis for political decisions it would be harmful to the young Republic. He and his contemporaries knew from recent history that state support of a church necessarily results in denial of liberty and in oppression. If Jefferson was a Unitarian b e c a u s e he opposed not only the beliefs, but also the social and political behavior and effects of American Christianity, then his actions with respect to education in Virginia appear in a different light than they would if his Unitarianism had come first.
Simple denial of Christianity would not provide any foundation on which to argue or to act; Unitarians (and other unbelievers) had to possess some ideas of their own about religion. And when Jefferson attempted to block the influence of orthodox Protestants in Virginia's public elementary schools and university, he could not merely say, "They're wrong." He had to present alternatives to the ideas of orthodoxy. Now, however he arrived at his personal views he would of course regard them as the best alternative. And unlike the Protestants, Unitarians did not hold their opinions as a result of indoctrination in childhood, but--at least to a large extent--as a result of reasoning about religion. Jefferson was not advocating replacement of one set of religious doctrines with another; he wanted to base education on a rational, evidentiary, secular p r i n c i p l e different from the authoritarian principle of revelational religion.
Ball concludes with these remarks "[Jefferson] became...a Unitarian evangelist of sorts, encouraging, through public education, the spread of Unitarianism.... It is in this light that Jefferson's 'wall' metaphor [of a barrier between the state and religion] ought to be considered." One might interpret this to mean that because Jefferson himself did not keep his religious views out of government affairs, one is allowed to disregard the concerns he expressed about the adverse effects of religion in government. Another intepretation, however, is that when he failed to follow his own principle, Jefferson was acting as a theist, and thereby demonstrated that a l l theism, be it orthodox Protestantism, liberal Unitarianism, or something else, will, when used as a basis for deciding public policy, result in bias and injustice. On this view, Jefferson's behavior is an instance of "do as I say, not as I do"--a substantiation of the fears he expressed about mingling the state with the church.
"A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education"A Quiet Euthanasia" Thomas Jefferson's Unitarianism and the Role of Religion in Public Education
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