Washington and the Quakers: The Paradox of Religious Freedom PDF

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Lecture notes on Washington and the Quakers: The Paradox of Religious Freedom. Professor is Kathleen Sands. Notes are brief but goes over the general information, so make sure you keep up with the readings related to the topic. Especially pay attention to what the Professor said during the lecture (...

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AMST 345 Washington and the Quakers: The Paradox of Religious Freedom (Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est- Where there is kindness and love, there is God) 

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Religions freedom- first thing in bill of rights o Free exercise clause o Paradoxical/difficult to implement o To be exempted from law because of religion, or to not be exempted Forms of religious establishment o Union of church and state o A “good citizen” o Expected to believe certain things, go church, support certain ministers o Full establishment  One church- no tolerance of anything else  Preach differently from puritans -can be put on trial, kicked out, or hanged o Tolerant establishment  One church in charge, wedded with government  But others can be tolerated  Quakers asked for this in England o Multiple establishment  Many different religions (ideally all) equally supported by government  Good in theory, hard to do American model (starting in 1789) o Lets not establish religion at all o Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof o Tolerance, and enabled actual religious freedom o Stay out of everyone’s belief o Radical Principles religion clauses o No establishment – limited government  Power and authority to the people  Citizens have freedom, autonomy, and power  Government has only limited power, only do what people do  Not from monarch or pope  Not just toleration, but religious freedom  Challenges- equality; the common good  If religion is not what holds people together, then what does? Quakers o The inner light (human equality)  Everyone has it  Can only connect with god with yourself, and your inner light o Freedom of conscience

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 Almost like wall religion o Obedience to law  Pacifists o Meet in silence (society of friends) o Egalitarian form of Christianity o George Fox- founder o Margaret Fell o Equal with men and women  Women can be preachers o Became strong abolitionists to slavery o William Penn  Quaker Oats!  Famous Quaker  Spent time in jail, refused to participate in wars in England  Sent to England, created the Pennsylvania colony  Speaks of conscience as duty to god  Sense of obligation to god, but also must be free  Only you can discern conscience  Radical freedom  Good Quaker be neither frantic or mischievous  Good subject, good child, and good servant  Good Quaker would not – take oaths (forbidden by new testament), remove hats (men), curtsey (women), use honorific titles (your majesty, your excellency), serve in military, pay taxes in support of the military Washington and Religion- myths and realities o Washington wasn’t Anglican, didn’t go to church often o Fox hunted o He went to church for show o Probably didn’t believe in Christianity that much o Communion Sundays- never went  Priest of church calls him out, not directly, for not going  Washington felt embarrassed, but still never went o Was a Mason  Fraternal organization, different kinds  The fatherhood of god, the brotherhood of men (and sisterhood of women)  Nothing about Christ, sacraments, or the bible (insignificant) o Farewell address  Felt more people needed religion to be moral (but not him)  Felt everyone had same religion, manners, habits, and political principles with slight differences  Average person needed religion October 1789

o Quaker annual meeting (Philadelphia) letter to the new president  Quakers refused to serve in military, Revolutionary war, anything of association  Let British soldiers quarter in their homes  Caused anger in Washington o Off to new York to see president  Letter talks about toleration, blessing of toleration  Can take no part in carrying on war on any occasion or under any power  They lead quiet and peaceable lives, don’t rebel, and never been involved in conspiracies...