“Founding Freethinker: Thomas Paine for Today”

Blue Ridge Center for Lifelong Learning

Dates: Tuesdays, May 14 and 21, 2024

Time: 10-12pm

Instructor: Chris Highland

Course Description:

In January 2023, President Biden signed a law to memorialize an original founder beloved by radicals and Ronald Reagan. Biden said: “America is taking a step closer toward marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution by erecting a new monument to Thomas Paine in the nation’s capital.” While that long-overdue monument is being completed, this “forgotten founding freethinker” invites more serious consideration.

With the rise of religious nationalism, this revolutionary thinker presents a powerful reminder of the secular foundation of America that protects true religious freedom. Through his commitment to critical thinking, science and human rights, Paine offers a timeless practical path to a just society that extends across borders, including boundaries of belief. Particular attention will be given to his revolutionary text, The Age of Reason.

Week One

Arrival in America and First Essay (Conway)

Development of Freethinking Religious Views

Thomas Paine-Works

Hero to Heretic

The Age of Reason (Preface)

The Age of Reason (Outline)

Edison on Paine

Week Two

Ingersoll: “THOMAS PAINE. With His Name Left Out, the History of Liberty Cannot be Written.”

The Age of Reason (Outline, continue)

What Would Tom Say?

Questions Paine Presents for Us

Liberty Tree

Thomas Paine Memorial Association