The Toleration Act and Its Impact on Virginia’s Religious Landscape

Following the Glorious Revolution, England’s 1689 Toleration Act granted limited religious freedoms to certain Protestant groups outside the Church of England—often referred to as “qualified dissenters.” These included Presbyterians, Baptists, and Quakers. While the law marked a step toward greater religious pluralism, its impact in Virginia was more constrained. Although these dissenting denominations were technically allowed to worship, they operated under strict conditions. In some cases, they were required to conduct services with meeting house doors and windows closed to prevent the perceived spread of blasphemous or subversive ideas, underscoring the dominance of the Anglican establishment in colonial Virginia.