“When you mix religion and politics, you get politics:” John Barry on Roger Williams and the Founding of Rhode Island

In previous posts, we explored what it means to think historically,and historicized the concept of the separation of church and state.  As we mentioned before, Roger Williams was one of the first people to articulate the separation of church and state, and he founded Rhode Island...

An “Unnatural Act:” Thinking Like a Historian

Before we can get into complicated historical debates about the role of religion and politics in the past, we must first understand how historians think.  Many of us know a great deal about the past.  Our elementary, middle, and high school teachers taught us useful and important...

The “livelie experiment:” An Introduction to Religion and Politics in History

When strung together, words like “religion,””history,” and “politics” can be contentious.  To help us make sense of our past, the Spectacle of Toleration program will explore questions about religion in American history throughout 2013.  This...
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