The Virginia Declaration of Rights was adopted on June 12, 1776. Some scholars argue that Article 16 is America’s most original, innovative, and important contribution to conceptions of religious liberty.

“That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and therefore all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practise Christian forbearance, love, and charity toward each other.”

The text itself and the debates in the Virginia Convention that produced it, touch on many of the key issues that continue to roil religious liberty controversies in our own time.

Understanding this better will equip all of us to be more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment in self-government.

Season 4, Episode 13 – Article 16 of the Virginia Declaration of Rights

The text itself and the debates in the Virginia Convention that produced it, touch on many of the key issues that continue to roil religious liberty controversies in our own time.

Understanding this better will equip all of us to be more effective stewards of religion’s role in the American experiment in self-government.

Guest Bio

Professor Dreisbach earned a doctor of philosophy degree from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia. His principal research interests include American constitutional law and history, First Amendment law, church-state relations, and criminal procedure. He has authored or edited ten books and numerous articles in scholarly journals. Among the courses he teaches are Introduction to Law, American Legal Culture, Issues in Civil Justice, Law and Religion, and the Constitution and Criminal Procedure. Professor Dreisbach is a past recipient of American University’s highest faculty award: Scholar/Teacher of the Year.

Podcast Support

Scholarly support provided by Dr. Lauren Turek, Associate Professor of History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Technical audio and video assistance provided by Dr. Randall Stephens, a Professor of American and British Studies at the University of Oslo.

Religion in the American Experience is a podcast of the private, digital-first National Museum of American Religion, which tells the story of how religion has shaped America and how America has shaped religion. This includes the establishment of religious freedom in the United States Constitution’s Article VI and Bill of Rights religion clauses.