Final answer:
Thomas Jefferson and Lyman Beecher held differing views on the relationship between church and state, with Jefferson advocating for a separation of church and state based on individual freedom, while Beecher believed in the authority of religious institutions in government matters.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Jefferson and Lyman Beecher had contrasting views on the relationship between church and state.
Jefferson's view: Jefferson advocated for a strict separation of church and state, believing that the government should not interfere in religious matters. He believed in the individual freedom to practice religion without government influence.
Beecher's view: Beecher believed that religion should play a prominent role in politics and that the government should support and promote Christian values. He believed in the authority of religious institutions in government matters.
The conflicting values at the heart of their disagreement were individual freedom and religious authority. Jefferson emphasized individual freedom and the separation of church and state, while Beecher focused on religious authority and the integration of religion and politics.