The Consitution prohibits religious qualifications for Federal office, but did the first 13 individual states have state religions (i.e. denominations)? If so, what were the denominations?
2006-07-08 06:11:06 · 4 answers · asked by infinite_j0y 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The constitution prohibits the formation of a state, or national religion or denomination.
That is what the separation of church and state has always meant until 1947.
2006-07-08 06:17:16 · answer #1 · answered by tim 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No they did not.
Look up James Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance. 1785
Some of the states/colonies were known to be settled by certain denominations, (Penn for the Quakers) but after the Revolution Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance was fully supported and put an end to any states sponsoring denominations, and put a shock wave through out the world.
The tolerance of all the colonies towards all religious beliefs was one of the reasons they were so attractive for new settlers from Europe, even Jews.
2006-07-08 06:34:34 · answer #2 · answered by anthony c 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course they did. They were forced to adopt religions as colonies.
England has an official state religion.
That was what was unique about the US Constitution. It eliminated the requirement for a state religion and prohibited the practice forced on people by England.
2006-07-08 06:17:37 · answer #3 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of them did, but maybe not in the way you think. All of them had explicitly declared themselves to be "Christian states", but they didn't usually specify which denomination. Of those who did have an "official" church, it was usually Congregationalists in New England and Anglicans in the South, but that was always a loose sort of thing that didn't imply obligation to attend that particular church.
2006-07-08 06:20:52 · answer #4 · answered by Billy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋