The Jefferson Bible

Thomas Jefferson completed this book in around 1820, when he was 77 years old. His aim was to reveal the most genuine teachings from the New Testament. He was trying to find the very essence of the Christian faith and to share it in its clearest form.

This was done by carefully cutting out and pasting together chosen verses from the four main gospels into what was, in its final version, an 82-page book. Once finished, it was bound together but never produced for distribution. After Jefferson passed away the book remained hidden within his family until a man named Cyrus Adler purchased it in 1895 for the National Museum, which is known today as the Smithsonian Institution.

Soon after, Iowa Representative John Lacey found it and sponsored a resolution to print it for the private use of Congressional members. This long lost, legendary book rolled off the press for the first time in 1904. When copies were distributed to Congress in 1905, it started a tradition which lasted for half a century.

Each new Senator and Representative was given a copy at their swearing in ceremony with every new Congress. One no longer needs to be a member of Congress in order to experience the beliefs of this brilliant third U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson.