Comments on: David Barton Promotes Debunked Jefferson Claims

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:17:44 +0000

In reply to Patrocles. Pat - You can't just judge based on one letter. You need to read all of the correspondence from Jefferson to Joseph Cabell and others about the school. The offer of theological schools was a compromise, and one that was never acted on.

By: Bill Fortenberry

Bill Fortenberry — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:17:41 +0000

You’re right, Warren. The evidence which I presented does not prove that Jefferson deliberately chose to use the name of Christ in presidential documents. It actually proves something much stronger. This evidence proves that Jefferson had no personal objection to calling Jesus the Christ. This is perfectly consistent with the reference to Christ in the treaty, but more importantly, it is consistent with the fact that Jefferson thought of himself as a Christian.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:17:41 +0000

Bill – I read through it but none of it makes any difference regarding Barton’s claim. Jefferson using the word Christ in his private notes or correspondence does not equate to deliberately choosing to use explicitly Christian language in presidential documents. Straining at gnats…

By: Patrocles

Patrocles — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:17:41 +0000

Judging from the 1822 letter, Jefferson seems to have been genuinely adversary to the idea of an atheist university. I can’t see if he was “prodded into accepting” the transdenomational solution, but he obviously took a fancy to it – hoping that it would lead to a common religion which would be more Jeffersonian.

By: Warren

Warren — Wed, 30 May 2018 18:17:41 +0000

The treaty and Jefferson’s rare references to Jesus in connection to the word Christ are not connected. Yes, Jefferson thought of himself as a Christian but not in the evangelical sense. To B. Rush:

I am a Christian, in the only sense he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; & believing he never claimed any other.

Claiming one is the Son of God would certainly be beyond what Jefferson believed Jesus did. Jefferson did believe Jesus was a reformer of the Jews religion and in that sense he might be considered a Christ but unless you are willing to ignore mountains of other evidence, then you can make Jefferson into an evangelical with the molehill you promote.