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FROM
THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS,
UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA, 1822-1825
Jefferson's
Report to the President and Directors of the Literary Fund
(extract)
The
University of Virginia did not offer religious instruction.
However, as these minutes suggest, simply because public
officials could not instruct on religious matters did
not mean that religion was unimportant. To the contrary,
religion was of the utmost importance to the Board,
who encouraged each sect to provide religious instruction
to its people. As the lack of such instruction was a
concern to the Board, it was proposed that the University
allow the different sects to establish schools of religion
on university grounds. In fact, the Board encouraged
such "institutes of religion" by assuring them that
the University would modify its regulations as needed
to allow interested university students to attend an
institute of religion of their choice. Such schools,
however, were to remain independent of the University
and of each other. The Board encouraged religious instruction
as part of the university experience, believing that
religious instruction complements and completes the
curriculum of subjects offered at the University and
enables the students of "useful sciences" to learn principles
which would preserve their freedom of religion.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
October
7, 1822
IN
THE SAME REPORT of the commissioners of 1818 it was stated
by them that "in conformity with the principles of our constitution,
which places all sects of religion on an equal footing,
with the jealousies of the different sects in guarding that
equality from encroachment or surprise, and with the sentiments
of the legislature in freedom of religion, manifested on
former occasions, they had not proposed that any professorship
of divinity should be established in the University; that
provision, however, was made for giving instruction in the
Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages, the depositories of the
originals, and of the earliest and most respected authorities
of the faith of every sect, and for courses of ethical lectures,
developing those moral obligations in which all sects agree.
That, proceeding thus far, without offence to the constitution,
they had left, at this point, to every sect to take into
their own hands the office of further instruction in the
peculiar tenet of each."
It
was not, however, to be understood that instruction in religious
opinion and duties was meant to be precluded by the public
authorities, as indifferent to the interests of society.
On the contrary, the relations which exist between man and
his Maker, and the duties resulting from those relations,
are the most interesting and important to every human being,
and the most incumbent on his study and investigation. The
want of instruction in the various creeds of religious faith
existing among our citizens presents, therefore, a chasm
in a general institution of the useful sciences. But it
was thought that this want, and the entrustment to each
society of instruction in its own doctrine, were evils of
less danger than a permission to the public authorities
to dictate modes ro principles of religious instruction,
or than opportunities furnished them by giving countenance
or ascendancy to any one sect over another. A remedy, however,
has been suggested of promising aspect, which, while it
excludes the public authorities from the domain of religious
freedom, will give to the sectarian schools of divinity
the full benefit the public provisions made for instruction
in the other branches of science. There branches are equally
necessary to the divine as to the other professional or
civil characters, to enable them to fulfill the duties of
their calling with understanding and usefulness. It has,
therefore, been in contemplation, and suggested by some
pious individuals, who perceive the advantages of associating
other studies with those of religion, to establish their
religious schools on the confines of the University, so
as to give to their students ready and convenient access
and attendance on the scientific lectures of the University;
and to maintain, by that means, those destined for the religious
professions on as high a standing of science, and of personal
weight and respectability, as may be obtained by others
from the benefits of the University. Such establishments
would offer the further and greater advantage of enabling
the students of the University to attend religious exercises
with the professor of their particular sect, either in the
rooms of the building still to be erected, and destined
to that purpose under impartial regulations, as proposed
in the same report of the commissioners, or in the lecturing
room of such professor. To such propositions the Visitors
are disposed to lend a willing ear, and would think it their
duty to give every encouragement, by assuring to those who
might choose such a location for their schools, that the
regulations of the University should be so modified and
accommodated as to give every facility of access and attendance
to their students, with such regulated use also as may be
permitted to the other students, of the library which may
hereafter be acquired, either by public or private munificence.
But always understanding that these schools shall be independent
of the University and of each other. Such an arrangement
would complete the circle of the useful sciences embraced
by this institution, and would fill the chasm now existing,
on principles which would leave inviolate the constitutional
freedom of religion, the most inalienable and sacred of
all human rights, over which the people and authorities
of this state, individually and publicly, have ever manifested
the most watchful jealousy: and could this jealousy be now
alarmed, in the opinion of the legislature, by what is here
suggested, the idea will be relinquished on any surmise
of disapprobation which they might think proper to express.
*
* * *
Source:
Thomas Jefferson: writings. 477-79 (Merrill D. Peterson
ed., 1984).
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