I would argue that our framers, those in the top echelon that developed and successfully lobbied for ratification of the Constitution and had the power to execute the first government under that Constitution, were correctly distinguished from people like Paine and Henry with the use of that word rather than founders. These framers were disproportionally non-orthodox Christians, the key framers being Madison, Adams, Hamilton (at that stage of his life), Jefferson, Washington, and Marshall. I would argue it is to the framers we primarily owe our freedom of conscience, given their success at lobbying for such rights existing within the reality of many state-level leaders who were Christians, who also deserve our respect. But the actual leadership were disproporationatly not Christian and I believe that was a key element that put freedom over the top. I also recognize the fact that many of these state leaders were happy with the federal protections to continue their state established churches.

I think the idea of religious freedom coupled to a commitment for a strong secular government were not well formed in all/most? of the framers in 1775 and 1776, but were by the time VA passed its religious freedom statute, even though many of their influences were written or occurred prior to the American Revolution. You see this in the language Jefferson used in the 1780's vs. the 1770's. Madison too evolves during this time. The Jefferson of 1785 would have never used the term, “sacred and undeniable” like he did in the original draft of the DofI (which was replaced with “self-evident”).

I would argue that our framers, those in the top echelon that developed and successfully lobbied for ratification of the Constitution and had the power to execute the first government under that Constitution, were correctly distinguished from people like Paine and Henry with the use of that word rather than founders. These framers were disproportionally non-orthodox Christians, the key framers being Madison, Adams, Hamilton (at that stage of his life), Jefferson, Washington, and Marshall. I would argue it is to the framers we primarily owe our freedom of conscience, given their success at lobbying for such rights existing within the reality of many state-level leaders who were Christians, who also deserve our respect. But the actual leadership were disproporationatly not Christian and I believe that was a key element that put freedom over the top. I also recognize the fact that many of these state leaders were happy with the federal protections to continue their state established churches.

I think the idea of religious freedom coupled to a commitment for a strong secular government were not well formed in all/most? of the framers in 1775 and 1776, but were by the time VA passed its religious freedom statute, even though many of their influences were written or occurred prior to the American Revolution. You see this in the language Jefferson used in the 1780's vs. the 1770's. Madison too evolves during this time. The Jefferson of 1785 would have never used the term, “sacred and undeniable” like he did in the original draft of the DofI (which was replaced with “self-evident”).

I would argue that our framers, those in the top echelon that developed and successfully lobbied for ratification of the Constitution and had the power to execute the first government under that Constitution, were correctly distinguished from people like Paine and Henry with the use of that word rather than founders. These framers were disproportionally non-orthodox Christians, the key framers being Madison, Adams, Hamilton (at that stage of his life), Jefferson, Washington, and Marshall. I would argue it is to the framers we primarily owe our freedom of conscience, given their success at lobbying for such rights existing within the reality of many state-level leaders who were Christians, who also deserve our respect. But the actual leadership were disproporationatly not Christian and I believe that was a key element that put freedom over the top. I also recognize the fact that many of these state leaders were happy with the federal protections to continue their state established churches.

I think the idea of religious freedom coupled to a commitment for a strong secular government were not well formed in all/most? of the framers in 1775 and 1776, but were by the time VA passed its religious freedom statute, even though many of their influences were written or occurred prior to the American Revolution. You see this in the language Jefferson used in the 1780's vs. the 1770's. Madison too evolves during this time. The Jefferson of 1785 would have never used the term, “sacred and undeniable” like he did in the original draft of the DofI (which was replaced with “self-evident”).