Post #6: Thomas Jefferson and Polytheism

Thomas Jefferson’s commonplace proves that he was a man seeking all kinds of knowledge and ideas. His inclusions of literature about polytheism, Christianity, and unorthodox religious views give him a wide expanse of knowledge and beliefs that may or not conflict with his own. His commonplace book reveals an open mind, especially in the realm of religion. He, without knowing, labels himself as a logical yet spiritual man and allows those two seemingly different aspects of his life to come together.

According to research about Thomas Jefferson’s life, he was reluctant to share his religion with the world. Due to his intellectual nature but religious upbringing, many people believed that he was Christian but had untraditional views (“Religion”). This coincides with many of the pieces in his commonplace book, but specifically, piece twenty-six. This piece was part of a larger work called Philosophical Works by Bolingbroke, and it discusses missionaries of supernatural religion and their ability to discuss the mundane and turn it into miracles. The author of this piece also says that missionaries are able to appeal to the testimonies of all people: “the missionary of natural religion can appeal at all times, and every where, to present and immediate evidence, to the testimony of sense and intellect, for the truth of those miracles which he brings in proof” (Jefferson, 34). This gives Thomas Jefferson the idea that not only do Christian missionaries combine logic with spirituality, but all religions do. Jefferson is able to keep his strong intellect and logical side while feeling free to mix in religion of his choice.

It is important to note that Jefferson was a Christian deist, but did not exactly believe all of the Christian beliefs. For one, he believed that Jesus was an excellent moral teacher, but not the Messiah. He also did not believe that church and state should go together at all (“Religion”). It is clear that his knowledge and beliefs gave him freedom to interpret religion the way that he wanted.

Works Cited

Wilson, Douglas. Thomas Jefferson’s Commonplace Book. Princeton University Press: Princeton,

New Jersey.

“Religion and the Founding of the United States.” People SMU. 2020. Retrieved on 10

April 2020 from

https://people.smu.edu/religionandfoundingusa/thomas-jeffersons-danbury-letter/thomas-jefferson-religious-freedom/