Library of Virginia to open exhibit on religious freedom
4/15/2016, 6:43 a.m.
The Library of Virginia will open its “First Freedom: Virginia’s Statute for Religious Freedom” exhibit Monday, April 18.
The exhibit examines questions such as “What do we mean by religious freedom?” “What is separation of church and state?” “How do you balance one person’s beliefs with the common good?” and “How have our ideas about religious freedom changed since the founding of our nation?” according to a news release.
The exhibit will look at Thomas Jefferson’s “Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which, among other rights, guarantees the exercise of religious liberty and prohibits the federal government from establishing a religion.
Among the items to be displayed are the Journal of the Convention of 1776, which adopted George Mason’s Declaration of Rights; petitions for dissenting religious groups to the General Assembly demanding religious freedom; and petitions to the General Assembly from Jewish people asking for exemptions to Sunday observance laws.
The exhibition will run through early 2017.
Information: www.lva.virginia.gov or (804) 692-3500.
