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Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist.  His presidency had significant failures, and is best known for doubling the area of the United States with the controversial [[Louisiana Purchase]] from France.

Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist.  His presidency had significant failures, and is best known for doubling the area of the United States with the controversial [[Louisiana Purchase]] from France.

Though Jefferson did not describe his beliefs in that manner, many historians believe him to have been a [[deist]].<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Deist_thinkers</ref>  

Though Jefferson did not describe his beliefs in that manner, many textbooks and online resources claim that he was a [[deist]].<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Deist_thinkers</ref>  

With regard to Christianity, Jefferson admired the ethical and moral teachings of Jesus, but did not believe in the divinity of Christ. He produced a compilation "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels," familiarly known as "The Jefferson Bible," in which he included the passages which he felt described Jesus' life and teachings, while omitting references to the miracles and to Jesus' divinity. In an 1803 letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, he stated:

With regard to Christianity, Jefferson admired the ethical and moral teachings of Jesus, but did not believe in the divinity of Christ. He produced a compilation "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels," familiarly known as "The Jefferson Bible," in which he included the passages which he felt described Jesus' life and teachings, while omitting references to the miracles and to Jesus' divinity. In an 1803 letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, he stated: