It has always been part of the Enlightenment project. After Virginia disestablished the Anglican Church, it caused a disruption of social services in Virginia, which were organized around the parishes. This did prevent a Baptist from having to support the Church, but it also deprived many people of the help which his own meeting house lacked the means to provide,because they received no funds either. Patrick Henry had wanted to supply all the denominations, but Jefferson none of them, and the state was slow to fill the gap.
I remember reading about the Patrick Henry/Thomas Jefferson flap over the churches, but the details have slipped my mind. Zot, I’m getting old. I was trying to tell my son about Ross Perot the other day, and I couldn’t remember the name. I kept saying, “It wasn’t Frank Perdue ... it was ... whatshisname!”
Bill looked it up on his phone, but he still didn’t recognize the name.