Roger Williams Quotes
No one shall be molested for any difference in opinion in matters of religion
Despite this clear statement, later the Colonial legislature withdrew the franchise from Roman Catholics. See {624149}. Despite this temporary restriction of religious freedom, Rhode Island and Connecticut were far ahead of the other New England colonies in freedom of conscience.
Roger Williams, c. 1603-1683, Clergyman and founder of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Charter
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Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island had provided in its charter for freedom of conscience. See {624148}. However later the Colonial legislature withdrew the franchise from Roman Catholics. Despite this temporary restriction of religions freedom, Rhode Island and Connecticut were far ahead of the other New England colonies in freedom of conscience.
Martin wanted William Howard Taft to answer questions about his religious beliefs. Taft was TR’s selection to be his successor. Ironically, a starting with John F. Kennedy, many presidential candidates have been asked about their religious belief’s and have answered whereas Roosevelt would have them not reply to such inquiries.
He is a Greek Orthodox Christian, and he correctly observes that the Islamic world was considerably more tolerant than the Christian until the 18th century when Islam had become less tolerant in the Middle East while the Christians were modernizing and going through a cultural and intellectual enlightenment and societal modernization while the Muslims, became less tolerant than they were in earlier years leading to the modern situation.
The Soviet state had varied views regarding religion in different times. In the early days of the Russian Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church was a major supporter of the Csar and serfdom. That caused a certain hostility to the Russian Church. That Church meanwhile had previously been extremely hostile to Jews and Roman Catholics and never recognized Protestant Churches. So Russians as a group were already discriminating against all religion except the Russian Orthodox Church before the Communist Revolution took place. When the Russian Communists were well entrenched in power, they saw the Russian Church as an obstacle to modernization and were hostile to any group that had a loyalty to any force or deity that was not the Soviet State.
The Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians were allowed to maintain their own religion and live as 2nd class citizens and pay a special tax, but ALL other religions were to be forced to convert.
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910
Williams was the first theologian who not only advocated religious toleration but argued that Christianity demanded it and the separation of church and state.
In one of the historical ironies of the 12th century, a Christian sect preferred the rule of the Muslims than their Christian brethren—on the grounds of religious tolerance. It illustrates the changes that take place over time. By the 21st century, it was the Christians who were thought of as tolerant and the Muslims as the opposite.
Pen name: Jack Nipps. Leland was a Baptist evangelist who had worked with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison to secure Freedom of Conscience in Virginia. Many people think that ideas such as this are the views of irreligious men and women, but Leland was a devout, evangelical Baptist and Baptists suffered discrimination in early Colonial America. Freedom of conscience was essential for all religions who were not in the local majority. Tolerance essential. See 43,065.
This was the beginning of the inquisition.
This is the first American ordinance of freedom of conscience. Note that it only provided freedom of religion for Christians. However, that was an important first step as different sects of Christianity had been persecuting each other whenever the opportunity arose.
- Born: December 21, 1603
- Died: March 15, 1683
- Nationality: English
- Profession: Minister, Statesman, Author, Preacher
Roger Williams was a Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and later the U.S. state of Rhode Island. He was a staunch advocate for religious freedom, separation of church and state, and fair dealings with Native Americans.
