A few months ago I attended a conference on religious liberty by Pres. Holland of UVU. Here are some of my notes. Any inaccuracies are the fault of this note taker.  The lecture gave some info religion and policy.

• The idea of a wall between church and state began in 1648. By William. This idea is more recognize the first paragraph of the declaration of independence. In the writing of the declaration. The printer replace one word with another, and the mistake was ‘inalienable’ rights. Jefferson in his early life was not very religious, but later in his life and evangelist by the name of Benjamin Rush helped him him becoming more interested in religion. One example of Jefferson’s growing passion for religion were to cut out favorite verses out of the New Testament and made his own Bible. It became known as the Jefferson Bible. some of the topics of the verses were about love and charity. Jeffords inaugural speech mentions religious freedom.
• What is necessary to make a prosperous nation honesty love of man and the love of Providence, and adoring God.
• The idea of the separation of church and state was began by a letter to a Baptist church.
• http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html
• To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.

Gentlemen

The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.

Thomas Jefferson Jan. 1. 1802. http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html