---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The haphazard unfolding of religious…"
description: "\"“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New York, to enhance a commercial environment), no..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg"
---

#  The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described…

![“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New York, to enhance a commercial environment), not to promote religious freedom. However, three colonies present arguable claims to the narrative of America being a haven for religious liberty…” quote by Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg)

> ““The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New York, to enhance a commercial environment), not to promote religious freedom. However, three colonies present arguable claims to the narrative of America being a haven for religious liberty: Maryland, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.””

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Religious tolerance in early America often arose from pragmatic or economic motives rather than pure ideals of liberty.

**In simple terms:** Tolerance was driven by practical concerns.

Key Takeaway

Recognize hidden motives behind policies.

Themes

history religion politics economics colonial America

Mood

critical analytical

Type

historical political

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- business development
- colonial governance
- legal frameworks

Key Concepts

pragmatism colonial policy religious liberty

Questions to Reflect On

- What incentives shape current tolerance policies?
- How can we ensure liberty beyond profit motives?

A Different Perspective

Economic incentives may not guarantee genuine freedom.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-freedom/) [Religious liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-liberty/) [Rhode island](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhode-island/)

## Related quotes

> [“With religious nonconformists outnumbering Anglicans after 1700, and economic motives eclipsing any sense of a religious mission, the colony adopted a moderate religious stance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/with-religious-nonconformists-outnumbering-anglicans-after-1700-and/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his father, in the womb of a virgin, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-day-will-come-when-the-mystical-generation-of-jesus-by-the/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-have-often-expressed-my-sentiments-that-every-man-conducting/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> [“As the government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, — as it has in itself no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-government-of-the-united-states-is-not-in-any-sense-founded-on-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or-3/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/religious-freedom-certainly-means-the-right-to-worship-god/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [The Religious Freedom Restoration Act extends religious liberty to corporations without regard to their for-profit and non-profit status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hawley/the-religious-freedom-restoration-act-extends-religious-liberty-to/)

[Josh Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hawley/)

> [Because we hold it for 'a fundamental and undeniable truth', that religion or 'the duty which we owe to our Creator' and the manner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/because-we-hold-it-for-a-fundamental-and-undeniable-truth-that/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [I think it is appropriate that we pay tribute to this great constitutional principle which is enshrined in the First Amendment of the Constitution:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-think-it-is-appropriate-that-we-pay-tribute-to-this-great/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [I do believe that religious liberty, the First Amendment, gay rights, and transgender equality can all coexist. I'm also a constitutionalist, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-do-believe-that-religious-liberty-the-first-amendment-gay-rights/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [Religious liberty in a nation is as real as the liberty of its least popular religious minority. Look not to the size of cathedrals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-blanshard/religious-liberty-in-a-nation-is-as-real-as-the-liberty-of-its-least/)

Paul Blanshard

> [If we really want to cherish religious freedom, people who want to believe that same-sex marriage should take place, they have a right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/if-we-really-want-to-cherish-religious-freedom-people-who-want-to/)

[Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/)

> [That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-henry/that-religion-or-the-duty-which-we-owe-to-our-creator-and-the-manner/)

[Patrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-henry/)

> [“The theory of the relations between states and churches is bound up with the theory of Toleratio, and on that suject the eighteenth century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/the-theory-of-the-relations-between-states-and-churches-is-bound-up/)

[John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/)

> [The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-legitimate-powers-of-government-extend-to-such-acts-only-as-are-2/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

## More by Steven K. Green

> [“Jefferson then distilled and enunciated these “essentials” in several personal works he shared with friends, his “Syllabus,” and two extracts from the Bible: “The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/jefferson-then-distilled-and-enunciated-these-essentials-in-several/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“Cotton’s code was never enacted, but in 1641 the General Court adopted the Body of Liberties, written by lawyer and pastor Nathaniel Ward, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/cotton-s-code-was-never-enacted-but-in-1641-the-general-court-adopted/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“Religious imagery and symbolism were the common idioms that all speakers employed when making rhetorical points. Rather than indicating a level of personal piety,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/religious-imagery-and-symbolism-were-the-common-idioms-that-all/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“Whether it was celebrated or lamented, the Constitution was universally seen as a secular document establishing a civil frame of government. In essence, few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/whether-it-was-celebrated-or-lamented-the-constitution-was/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“The myth of America’s religious founding thus provided an explanation for those who needed to sanctify the past before they could go forward with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-myth-of-america-s-religious-founding-thus-provided-an-explanation/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“Because Americans lack a common ethnicity or extensive heritage, our founding myth is more important than it is for most other peoples. Unlike other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/because-americans-lack-a-common-ethnicity-or-extensive-heritage-our/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“In both instances of Franklin and Jefferson, revisionist writers have emphasized those aspects of their beliefs that are consistent with Christian faith, while discounting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/in-both-instances-of-franklin-and-jefferson-revisionist-writers-have/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“At the risk of oversimplification, the unifying theme of the Hebrew scripture is one of forging a national identity connected to God through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/at-the-risk-of-oversimplification-the-unifying-theme-of-the-hebrew/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“All in all, Christian nation proponents commit several errors in their claims about the religious beliefs of the Founders. Their claims isolate the religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/all-in-all-christian-nation-proponents-commit-several-errors-in-their/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“With religious nonconformists outnumbering Anglicans after 1700, and economic motives eclipsing any sense of a religious mission, the colony adopted a moderate religious stance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/with-religious-nonconformists-outnumbering-anglicans-after-1700-and/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“Colonial America was not settled out of a search for religious liberty, but it stumbled onto that principle just in time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/colonial-america-was-not-settled-out-of-a-search-for-religious/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“As noted, late in their deliberations the drafters of the Constitution included a clause prohibiting religious tests or prerequisites for holding any federal office.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/as-noted-late-in-their-deliberations-the-drafters-of-the-constitution/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“while one can debate whether a particular Founder was religiously devout, there is little question that many regularly attended Christian worship and participated in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/while-one-can-debate-whether-a-particular-founder-was-religiously/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“The “large majority of ministers who published sermons during the Revolutionary era justified the war effort by a rationale that was more political than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-large-majority-of-ministers-who-published-sermons-during-the/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

> [“As George Marsden reminds us, “at the time of the American Revolution there was no distinctly ‘Christian’ line of political thought as opposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/as-george-marsden-reminds-us-at-the-time-of-the-american-revolution/)

[Steven K. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

[Explore all 18 Steven K. Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/)

## More Religion quotes

> [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [The love religion is all that is written here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/the-love-religion-is-all-that-is-written-here/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/)

[Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/)

> [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/)

[Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/)

> [No religion has mandated killing others as a requirement for its sustenance or promotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-religion-has-mandated-killing-others-as-a-requirement-for-its/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/)

[Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/)

[M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/)

> [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/)

[Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/)

[Browse all 58,737 Religion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New York, to enhance a commercial environment), not to promote religious freedom. However, three colonies present arguable claims to the narrative of America being a haven for religious liberty: Maryland, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steven K. Green"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-toleration-described-above/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Religion"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-toleration-described-above/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/305/steven-k-green-29974_religion_the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-tol_862206.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration described above occurred chiefly by default (and in New…” — Steven K. Green",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Steven K. Green",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-k-green/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The haphazard unfolding of religious toleration...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-toleration-described-above/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-k-green/the-haphazard-unfolding-of-religious-toleration-described-above/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
