Chruch and State

Thomas Jefferson’s reply on January 1, 1802, to the Danbury Baptists Association contains a piece of text that to many explains the religious clause in the first amendment. The First amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances,” an amendment that has been under scrutiny on all sides. The first phrase according to the Library of Congress is the segment Jefferson was referring to when he wrote his final letter. In the final letter Jefferson states,“ Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole Amer...