University of Richmond UR Scholarship Repository
Honors Theses Student Research
5-6-2021
Religious Tolerance and Anti-Trinitarianism: The Influence of Socinianism on English and American Leaders and the Separation of Church and State
Keeley Harris University of Richmond
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Part of the Political Science Commons, and the Religion Law Commons
Recommended Citation Harris, Keeley, "Religious Tolerance and Anti-Trinitarianism: The Influence of Socinianism on English and American Leaders and the Separation of Church and State" (2021). Honors Theses. 1577. https://scholarship.richmond.edu/honors-theses/1577
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Religious Tolerance and Anti-Trinitarianism: The Influence of Socinianism on English and American Leaders and the Separation of Church and State
By Keeley Harris
Honors Thesis Submitted to: Jepson School of Leadership Studies University of Richmond Richmond, VA
May 6, 2021
Advisor: Dr. Kristin M. S. Bezio
Harris 1
Abstract
Religious Tolerance and Anti-Trinitarianism: The Influence of Socinianism on English and American Leaders and the Separation of Church and State
Keeley Harris
Committee members: Dr. Kristin M. S. Bezio, Dr. George R. Goethals and Dr. Douglas L. Winiarski
This research focuses on a sect of Christian thinkers who originated in mid-16th century Poland called Socinians. They had radical Christian views built upon ideas from humanism and the Protestant Reformation, including Anti-Trinitarianism and rejecting the divinity of Christ. Most importantly, they believed that in order to follow Christ’s message, separation of church and state and religious toleration were necessary. Socinianism spread across Europe into England, first permeating subtly while England remained intolerant, but it came to the forefront during the English Civil War. Socinian ideas helped further political agendas of Royalists and ultimately influenced Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Joseph Priestley. Religious toleration ultimately spread into early American colonies via new religious modes, namely Unitarianism, and through political ideas via writings from important English and colonial thinkers. This led early American leaders, specifically Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, to have political and religious motivations for establishing the separation of church and state in America. The last part of this project focuses on implications of this legacy for present leaders and the political climate in current day America.