The Very Revd Peter Felenchak

The established religion in England at the time of the colony's founding was the Church of England, whose basic doctrines and worship services were set out in the Book of Common Prayer. The Jamestown settlers naturally brought their religion with them and practised it in Virginia. The Church of England was central to the lives of the London Company leadership, with all of the men required to take an oath acknowledging the supremacy of King James and the lack of authority over him by the Pope before they set sail to Virginia. There was no separation of church and state in 17th century England, or in any other European country. Despite the de facto requirement for Jamestown colonists to be members of the Protestant Church of England, archaeological discoveries of Catholic artifacts at the Jamestown site have led to speculation that at least a few of the early Jamestown settlers may have been crypto-Catholic.

Church services in James Fort were held fourteen times a week, with sermons preached at services on Sunday and on either Wednesday or Thursday. Two prayer services, one in the morning and one in the evening, were held Monday through Saturday. An afternoon catechism was also held by the minister on Sunday. After the introduction of strict martial law by Deputy Governor Sir Thomas Dale in 1611, called Dale's Code, regular church attendance was required, with punishments ranging from loss of food rations to execution for violators who blasphemed "God's holy name" or challenged the authority of a preacher or minister.