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Madison
Letter to Everett Regarding Theological Professorships
Within
a Secular University, March 19, 1823
This
letter expresses Madison's views on the difficulty of
combining church and state in the educational arena.
The alternative was between public universities without
courses for religious study or sectarian seminaries
without courses in secular learning. Madison favored
public universities that did not provide university-sanctioned
religious courses. Offering such courses would result
in theological battles between rival sects. In contrast,
Madison seems to support the establishment of institutes
of religion in close proximity to public universities
so that students may have ample opportunity to obtain
both theological and secular educations. In support
of the decision to exclude religious courses from public
universities, Madison explains "religion is essentially
distinct from Civil Government and exempt from its cognizance;"
that "rival sects with equal rights, exercise mutual
censorships in favor of good morals;" — that theory
and practice show religious growth may be fostered without
the aid of the law; and that a connection between the
two is injurious to both.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
TO
EDWARD EVERETT
Montpellier,
March 19, 1823
I
am not surprised at the dilemma produced at your University
by making theological professorships an integral part of
the System. The anticipation of such an one led to the omission
in ours; the Visitors being merely authorized to open a
public Hall for religious occasions, under impartial
regulations; with the opportunity to the different sects
to establish Theological schools so near that the Students
of the University may respectively attend the religious
exercises in them. The village of Charlottesville also,
where different religious worships will be held, is also
so near, that resort may conveniently be had to them.
A
University with sectarian professorships, becomes, of course,
a Sectarian Monopoly: with professorships of rival sects,
it would be an Arena of Theological Gladiators. Without
any such professorships, it may incur for a time at least,
the imputation of irreligious tendencies, if not designs.
The last difficulty was thought more manageable than either
of the others.
On
this view of the subject, there seems to be no alternative
but between a public University without a theological professorship,
and sectarian Seminaries without a University.
I
recollect to have seen, many years ago, a project of a prayer,
by Govr Livingston father of the present Judge,
intended to comprehend & conciliate College Students
of every Xn denomination, by a Form composed
wholly of texts & phrases of scripture. If a trial of
the expedient was ever made, it must have failed, notwithstanding
its winning aspect from the single cause that many sects
reject all set forms of Worship.
The
difficulty of reconciling the Xn mind to the
absence of a religious tuition from a University established
by law and at the common expence, is probably less with
us than with you. The settled opinion here is that religion
is essentially distinct from Civil Govt and exempt
from its cognizance; that a connexion between them is injurious
to both; that there are causes in the human breast, which
ensure the perpetuity of religion without the aid of the
law; that rival sects, with equal rights, exercise mutual
censorships in favor of good morals; that if new sects arise
with absurd opinions or overheated maginations, the proper
remedies lie in time, forbearance and example; that a legal
establishment of religion without a toleration could not
be thought of, and with a toleration, is no security for
public quiet & harmony, but rather a source itself of
discord & animosity; and finally that these opinions
are supported by experience, which has shewn that every
relaxation of the alliance between Law & religion, from
the partial example of Holland, to its consummation in Pennsylvania
Delaware N. J., &c, has been found as safe in practice
as it is sound in theory. Prior to the Revolution, the Episcopal
Church was established by law in this State. On the Declaration
of independence it was left with all other sects, to a self-support.
And no doubt exists that there is much more of religion
among us now than there ever was before the change; and
particularly in the Sect which enjoyed the legal patronage.
This proves rather more than, that the law is not necessary
to the support of religion.
With
such a public opinion, it may be expected that a University
with the feature peculiar to ours will succeed here if anywhere.
Some of the Clergy did not fail to arraign the peculiarity;
but it is not improbable that they had an eye to the chance
of introducing their own creed into the professor's chair.
A late resolution for establishing an Episcopal school within
the College of William & Mary, tho' in a very guarded
manner, drew immediate animadversions from the press, which
if they have not put an end to the project, are a proof
of what would follow such an experiment in the University
of the State, endowed and supported as this will be, altogether
by the Public authority and at the common expence.
Letter
from James Madison to Edward Everett (Mar. 19, 1823), in
9 The Writings of James Madison, 1819-1836, at 124 (Gaillard
Hunt ed., 1910).
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