Anne Hutchinson Religious Unity Essay

After the Protestant Reformation, most of the British families left England because disbelief the King’s power tied to the control of the Catholic Church, they set sail to a new journey to the New World, the Americas. Although many colonies were initially unified religiously, this unity began to unravel by Anne Hutchinson, Roger Williams, and William Penn.

Anne Hutchinson, a brilliant Puritan activist, “claimed that a holy life was no sure sign of salvation and that the truly saved need not bother to obey the law of either God or man,” (American Pageant, Chapter 3.) Hutchinson’s ideas later became known as the heresy of antinomianism, a belief that Christians are not bound by moral law, (American Pageant, Chapter 3.) Her core beliefs challenged the power of authority in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, extremely strong religious government institution, which evolves around on the Bible, being the pure source to Purism. She was brought to trial in 1638 to be banished from the colonies, with her family and followers, they were forced to migrate and settle in Rhode Island. In conclusion, as the colonies were unified by strict religious toleration, it did not allow room for errors such as outcast or activists ideas that would have unbalanced the government’s authority and power, therefore the government was weak as it

fought against Puritan activist. Stronger religious unity would spread closer in Rhode Island as it became a “safe-haven” to the religious minorities, accepting religious beliefs.
Before Rhode Island became a colony, the founder of the “safe-haven” colony, Roger Williams become one most significant political and religious leader in American history, he challenged the view on religious authorities in Massachusetts Bay Colony such as once Anne Hutchinson did.

His views on religious freedom and tolerance, for example, his disapproval on stolen land from Native Americans, allowed him to be the voice for the church, but it's also led him to banished from the colony. Williams would establish a new colony in Narragansett Bay and set “principles of religious liberty and separation of church and state.” (History.com.) creating a strong

colony.
William Penn, an Englishman Quaker was granted a “proprietary colony” named after himself, Pennsylvania from the King James II, Penn instituted religious freedom and toleration expect to Catholics and Jews (conflict during that time,) which heavily attracted immigrants, especially when no restrictions were applied to immigration policy. Pennsylvania was the “best advertised” of the colonies in the Americas. Later, Penn close friendship with James II, the former Catholic king, allowed him to receive no pension for his debt, but the king was overthrown by William II, his debt sentence him to treason, later, Penn died to a “paralytic stroke.” (American Pageant, Chapter 3.) In conclusion, Penn great creation of a religious free-colony unraveled the relationship between the new King and Penn’s debt, allowing Penn to be executed.