Religion
A diverse array of religions has shaped Virginia’s history and cultural identity from the spiritual practices of its first indigenous peoples to the multitude of faiths of its twenty-first century populace. In 1786, the General Assembly passed a statute that guaranteed religious freedom for Virginians—an important precedent for similar protections in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Religious gatherings have nurtured communities, preserved traditions across generations, and fostered collective action.
Content Related to Religion
Tiny Tomes
Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Henkel Press
American Visions: The United States, 1800–1860
Curator Conversation: Bringing it Together: Stories Behind “Our Commonwealth”
Confessions of a Southern Church
The Lincolns, the Booths, and the Spirits: Two Families and the Otherworld in the Civil War
The Strange Genius of Mr. O: The World of the United States’ First Forgotten Celebrity
Death and Rebirth in a Southern City: Richmond's Historic Cemeteries
Curators At Work: New to the Collection
Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation
Pocahontas – Religion and Faith (Pocahontas Symposium: Session 2)
Related Store Items
The Story of Virginia: Highlights from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture
The Story of Virginia tells a fascinating story, sharing more than four hundred evocative objects from the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. The Commonwealth is not merely a chapter of U.S. history; it is at the epicenter of its most pivotal moments.
The First Emancipator: Slavery, Religion, and the Quiet Revolution of Robert Carter
In this haunting, brilliantly original work, Andrew Levy explores the confluence of circumstance, conviction, war, and emotion that led to Carter’s extraordinary act.
