It befuddles me.
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.