Of the old comminon. It ultimately extended to the Supreme Courts decision of the separation between church and state. In his latest book todays speaker tells the story of that statchute beginning with the background and strug story of that statute beginning with the background and struggles at that ime. Irginias statchute statute had the most liberal interpretation than any other state at the time. Thomas e. Buckley is currently proffer in residence in los angeles. He taught in the History Department for 22 years after receiving his doctorate from the university of california, santa why barbara, in 1973. From 1996 to 2012 he was professor of modern christian history at the Jesuit School of theology. Hes also worked in rome, santa clara university, and peking university. His writing is based on the separation of church and state. Hes the author of the great catastrophe of my life. Divorce in the old deminon. His latest book is establishing religious freedom. Thomas is an old friend of
The significance of the virginia statute for establishing religious freedom teaches far beyond the borders of the old dominion. Its influence ultimately extended to the Supreme Courts interpretation of the separation of church and state. In his latest book, todays speaker tells the story of that statute, beginning with its background and the struggle of colonial dissenters with an oppressive church of england. Displacing an established church by instituting religious freedom, the virginia statute divided the most substantial guarantees of religious freedom in any state of the new nation. The effort to implement jeffersons statute has even broader significance in anticipation of the conflict that would occupy the whole court after the Supreme Court nationalized the religion clause in the First Amendment in the 1940s. Thomas e. Buckley sj is currently in the university of los angeles. He taught in the History Department there for 22 years after receiving his doctorate from university of