George Washington on Religious Liberty

The Review of Politics, Vol. 65, No. 1, Winter 2003

13 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2008

See all articles by Vincent Phillip Muñoz

Vincent Phillip Muñoz

University of Notre Dame - Department of Political Science

Abstract

Despite the Supreme Court's repeated invocations of America's founding fathers for First Amendment religion jurisprudence, George Washington's political thought regarding religious freedom has received almost no scholarly attention. This is unfortunate, for Washington's words and actions speak to contemporary Establishment Clause and Free Exercise issues. Washington, moreover, offers an alternative to Jefferson's and Madison's approach to church-state matters. The scholarly exclusion of Washington thus has led to a narrow view of the founders' thought on religious liberty. This article sets forth Washington's understanding of the right to religious liberty. It pays particular attention to Washington's disagreement with Madison on the propriety of government support of religion. It also draws attention to the limits Washington placed on an individual's right to religious free exercise by focusing on how Washington dealt with Quaker claims for religious exemptions from military service.

Keywords: George Washington, Religion, Religious Liberty, Church and State, First Amendment, Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause, Founders

Suggested Citation

Muñoz, Vincent Phillip, George Washington on Religious Liberty. The Review of Politics, Vol. 65, No. 1, Winter 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1093352

Vincent Phillip Muñoz (Contact Author)

University of Notre Dame - Department of Political Science ( email )

2060 Jenkins Nanovic Halls
Notre Dame, IN 46556
United States

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