Many Americans believe that America was founded on the ideals of complete religions separation and tolerance for all. While this is a lovely story, history shows that many people actually came to America to find a place where they could establish a community of like-minded religious thinkers and then begin to spread their theology across the new land. Although early America was generally religiously intolerant, the Enlightenment gave birth to the idea that the thoughts of the individual are powerful. This idea has grown to be the driving force of the American ideal and influenced a rising presence of religious liberalism and tolerance.
An early example of religious intolerance is the colonial treatment of Native Americans. While not all Native
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American relations were hostile, many resulted in bloodshed and lost homes for the Natives. Mary Rowlandson, a well off colonial, was captured by Native Americans at age 39. In her first hand account of the abduction, Rowlandson refers to the Native Americans as “merciless enemies,” “murderous wretches,” and “ravenous beasts.” (Rowlandson, 64,65) Each of these titles dehumanizes the Native Americans and suggests just how intolerant early Americans were of Native American practice and culture. Although not all conflict with Native Americans was centered around religion, there was no doubt additional fear and hostility generated by the fact that Native American culture did not worship the same God that the colonials did. Another example of intolerance in early American culture is the case of Anne Hutchinson.
A Puritan resident of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Hutchinson believed that it was possible for a person to be sure of their future salvation through a special reflection from the Holy Spirit. Puritan minsters of the time, however, taught that a person could only receive hints on their predestination and that it was never possible to know for sure 'fate. This seemingly small theological difference caused the Puritan ministers to be fearful of her new ideas as threatening the legitimacy and power of their teachings and led to Anne Hutchinson being banished from the colony. Anne Hutchinson’s story demonstrates a common trend of early church leaders having fear of different theologies threatening the legitimacy of their teachings. This story, in addition to Rowlandson’s account, demonstrate that early American culture was weary of religious difference both with the Native Americans and within its own …show more content…
population. Scholars of the Enlightenment begin to discuss the importance of the power of the individual. John Locke, one of the most famous Enlightenment thinkers, emphasized the natural rights of the individual—life, liberty, and property. Locke believed that a society where these individual rights existed could only be successful if all of the individuals were followers of God. Americans of the 17th century agreed that their individual freedom was dependent on a common understanding of God. Koester writes about how Americans believed they were bringing in a new era of history “in which democracy and Christianity would join forces to spread the light of truth and progress,” (Koester, 41) suggesting the idea that Americans believed that Christianity and democracy should be spread hand in hand. There were, however, Americans who were ahead of their time in questioning whether belief in God is necessary to have a civil society.
Thomas Jefferson is likely the most famous American to write on this subject and his ideas were critical in forming the religiously tolerant government Americans have today. He claims that the human mind was created by God to be “altogether insusceptible of restraint” and therefore a government has no business influencing its people to be of a certain religion. (Jefferson, 151) He writes that, “the opinions of men are not the object of civil government, nor under its jurisdiction” which indicates his desire for a complete separation of religion from government activities. Jefferson agreed with Locke about the unalienable rights of man, but he differed in that he believed that these rights could be protected regardless of ones belief in God. Throughout the rest of American history, we see this idea begin to slowly take hold, which in turn led to increased religious
tolerance. The ideas of Elizabeth Cady Stanton are a prime example of the notion that individuals should have the right to decide for themselves what to believe. Stanton was a figurehead of the women’s suffrage movement who referred to the Bible’s passages about women as being a “mournful object of pity [turned] into an exalted, dignified personage.” (Stanton, 7) Stanton argues that the Bible needs to reevaluated using reason in a modern context. She argues that the limits placed on women in the Bible were placed there by men who found it convenient to restrict the roles of women and that these passages should be reinterpreted and rewritten. Stanton embodies Enlightenment ideals because she was taking it upon herself to reinterpret the Bible because of her own individual thought. Her ideas also indicate a trend of religious liberalism because of the fact that she is questioning the absolute authority of the Bible. Few events exhibit the rise of religious liberalism better than that of the Scopes trial. The debate about whether or not evolution should be taught in schools was a hot topic in the early 20th century, and it remains a hot topic today. Charles Hodge argued against teaching evolution and claimed, “The denial of design in nature is virtually the denial of God.” (Hodge, 261) Hodge’s ideas became the foundation of a group of that included William Jennings Bryan called religious fundamentalists. Fundamentalists believed that the word of the Bible was absolutely true and therefore the Bible should be taught to American children in school. John T. Scopes was brought to trial for breaking Tennessee law and teaching evolution in a public school. His defence was Clarence Darrow, one of the most formidable lawyers in the country and an expert at questioning witnesses. The prosecution was led by none other than William Jennings Bryan, the main spokesperson of American fundamentalism. Near the end of the trial, Darrow calls Bryan to the stand, and despite all advice from his peers to decline, Bryan decides he will answer what questions Darrow has. Darrow asks Bryan how things like Jonah being swallowed by a whale or God’s creation of the earth could be physically possible, and this forces Bryan to makes concessions about the absolute truth of the Bible. In the end, the innocence or guilt of John Scopes didn’t matter. What mattered is that Bryan had been forced to admit that the Bible’s text was not always entirely literal. Newspapers throughout the country “lampooned all conservative Christians as ignorant country bumpkins.” (Koester, 152) When Bryan died just five days after the trial, headlines said that he died of a broken heart and most mainstream support for religious fundamentalism died with him. There are two main takeaways from the Scopes trial. The first is the triumph of religious liberalism. Americans were now okay with conceding certain literal passages throughout the Bible. This shows the increasing importance that people placed on individual thought over the authority of the Bible. The second point is the rising trend of religious tolerance. Americans were beginning to agree that the Bible did not belong in public schools because children could be coerced into reading one faith’s scripture. The ripples of Enlightenment thought can still be seen in the American population today. Jon Meacham writes, “our politics and our culture are, in the main, less influenced by movements and arguments of an explicitly Christian character than they were even five years ago.” (Meacham, 2) which indicates that Americans are beginning to value their own political thought higher than the common thought of their faith. The number of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated has decreased by five percent in the last five years and yet the number of Americans who believe in God has remained constant. This suggests that increasing numbers of Americans are beginning to believe in the power they have to think for themselves. It is possible that the world is still coming to terms with the ideas of the Enlightenment and it is likely that we will continue to see echoes of its teachings in years to come.
Before reading our textbooks “Voice of freedom” and “Give me Liberty” I thought the freedom was attainable, because Puritan left England for America looking for religious freedom. And the colony’s formation was predicated on the idea of religious freedom, however everyone was to follow the direction of the elders, and women, in particular, were to play a submissive and supporting role. When they arrived in America they tried to build a holy community where people would live by the rules of the Bible. They tried to reform the official English church. They demanded to replace the Catholic principles with Protestant ones. Their reformist ideas, undermining the unity of the church, threatened to split the whole society and weaken the royal power. After reading the story about Anne Hutchinson in our book “Voices of freedom” from page 33 and in «Give Me Liberty» from page 75, I understood that religious liberty for others was not part of the Puritans' plan. Anne Hutchinson was a Puritan woman who spread her own interpretations of the Bible. Anne spoke that God’s grace could be directly bestowed through faith. This went against the Puritan ministers’ view, which dictated that people must live according to the Bible’s precepts. She was put on trial for her theological views and for stepping outside the bounds assigned to women. And then she and most of her children were
In Puritan led Massachusetts Bay Colony during the days of Anne Hutchinson was an intriguing place to have lived. It was designed ideally as a holy mission in the New World called the “city upon a hill,” a mission to provide a prime example of how protestant lives should have subsisted of. A key ingredient to the success of the Puritan community was the cohesion of the community as a whole, which was created by a high level of conformity in the colony. Puritan leaders provided leadership for all facets of life; socially, economically, religiously, and even politically. A certain hierarchy was very apparent in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in which ministers always seemed to have gotten their way. Governor Winthrop got his way in 1637 by banishing a woman, Anne Hutchinson, whom he thought posed a threat to the structure of the colony. I believe that there is a legit rationale for her banishment, this being her religious ideas that were very close to that of the Antinomians who Governor Winthrop was not too fond of. I also think that this was not the primal reason. In my mind, Anne’s gender played a large role in determining whether or not she actually posed a serious threat to the solidarity of Massachusetts.
From 1786-1800, James Madison and other political theorists, wrote eighty-five federalist papers explaining issues on our country and urging people to reconnect with the new constitution. In Federalist paper 10, Madison illustrates that with government and the way that we think about who we look up to in terms of rights has strengthened a divide in mankind. “A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself,” (Madison: The Federalist 10). James Madison ties with Jefferson in his opinion about how religion and government do not mix well. He does not tolerate when an argument between a citizens beliefs and the law becomes a problem because it clearly states in the Constitution that “Congress shall make no law respecting a religious movement” (Americans United) In Federalist paper 51, Madison also expresses on how being under the same ruling and in the same environment we have to learn to listen to both sides of the story. “In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other in the multiplicity of sects,” (Madison: The Federalist 51). The way that Jefferson and Madison compare is through the way that they think things should be perceived, such as,
First of all, during their time, it was recognized that one did not have a right within the choice of religion versus government. It seemed that whatever one wanted to believe was not an option when it came to following a creed, it was more than probable that one’s government had made that choice for its people. Roger Williams, having been educated by Sir Coke on religious ideals seemed to be bothered by this fact and was fervent to change this as his former master whom had spent time in a London jail for his own ideas (Humanities, 1983). Anne Hutchinson being the daughter of a dissenting puritan minister (Reuben, 2011) had ideas differing from the major religious institutions of her land, and was especially dissatisfied with not being able accept creeds differing from the main. Williams’ works touched on this subject beautifully as he logically, even through quotes in scriptures, explained why it was that if one wished to be a true follower of Christ, that religious tolerance was a must. In The Bloudy Tenet of Persecution, Williams explains that Christ ‘abhors’ the practice of forced worship and persecution of differing beliefs of even those who are not Christian. Anne Hutchinson openly practiced the freedom of conscience as part of her life. She had at one point in England, meetings where she would speak about the doctrines and treatises written by John Cotton, and she would always add in her own interpretations (Anne Hutchinson...
By the early 1600s, the English were steadily making their way overseas to the New World in hopes of settling and prospering on foreign land. Among these were Puritans, or Protestants seeking exemption from the overbearing English Catholic Church. In his speech to the new colonists of the newly settled Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, its Puritan governor, delivered a speech to encourage certain values and examples that new colonists should operate by in their daily lives on the settlement. He uses lines from the Bible itself to emphasize the ideal character of a colonist, constantly referring to the Lord and Christian doctrines. Winthrop’s intent to spiritually enlighten the new colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony is a lower
America today still maintains the separation of church and state, an idea that was founded by some of the earliest colonists.... ... middle of paper ... ... William Penn, Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, soon after wrote the Pennsylvania Charter of Privileges and Liberties, a constitution for the colony of Pennsylvania, which enabled the people to freely practice their religion of choice without fear of government punishment. American colonies were clearly established with the intent to all live together with Christian beliefs, but with so many interpretations and versions of the same religious scripture, freedom to practice whichever adaptation feels right became most important in colonial life. And as a safe haven for those who were persecuted in their home countries, America truly flourished as a place for the religiously tolerant.
Hutchinson gained a lead and eventually people who went to her meetings stopped attending church. This upset Winthrop because even though he strongly wanted people to follow the views of the Puritan beliefs, he moreso wanted people to view him as a leader. This is seen in the court trail between Anne Hutchinson and John Winthrop. Winthrop shows his need for being in charge when he says to Hutchinson “We see no rule of God for this. We see not that any should have authority to set up any other exercises besides what authority that hath already been set up…”
Religion was the foundation of the early Colonial American Puritan writings. Many of the early settlements were comprised of men and women who fled Europe in the face of persecution to come to a new land and worship according to their own will. Their beliefs were stalwartly rooted in the fact that God should be involved with all facets of their lives and constantly worshiped. These Puritans writings focused on their religious foundations related to their exodus from Europe and religions role in their life on the new continent. Their literature helped to proselytize the message of God and focused on hard work and strict adherence to religious principles, thus avoiding eternal damnation. These main themes are evident in the writings of Jonathan Edwards, Cotton Mathers, and John Winthrop. This paper will explore the writings of these three men and how their religious views shaped their literary works, styles, and their historical and political views.
This has caused American society to have a rather unique view on religion. America is ...
In the Puritan communities, religion was not just a belief, but a way of life. Puritans were god fearing. They spent a great deal of time reading the bible and going to church. Puritans believed they were the “chosen ones” and that God was responsible for all favorable activity. Mary Rowlandson demonstrates that she was a great Puritan, and that God had specifically chosen her. She praises God for any good fortune received or deed accepted by her from the Indians. During her fourteenth remove, it began to rain, and the Indians co...
In 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Company set sail to the New World in hope of reforming the Church of England. While crossing the Atlantic, John Winthrop, the puritan leader of the great migration, delivered perhaps the most famous sermon aboard the Arbella, entitled “A Model of Christian Charity.” Winthrop’s sermon gave hope to puritan immigrants to reform the Church of England and set an example for future immigrants. The Puritan’s was a goal to get rid of the offensive features that Catholicism left behind when the Protestant Reformation took place. Under Puritanism, there was a constant strain to devote your life to God and your neighbors. Unlike the old England, they wanted to prove that New England was a community of love and individual worship to God. Therefore, they created a covenant with God and would live their lives according to the covenant. Because of the covenant, Puritans tried to abide by God’s law and got rid of anything that opposed their way of life. Between 1630 and the 18th century, the Puritans tried to create a new society in New England by creating a covenant with God and living your life according to God’s rule, but in the end failed to reform the Church of England. By the mid 1630’s, threats to the Puritans such as Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, and Thomas Hooker were being banned from the Puritan community for their divergent beliefs. 20 years later, another problem arose with the children of church members and if they were to be granted full membership to the church. Because of these children, a Halfway Covenant was developed to make them “halfway” church members. And even more of a threat to the Puritan society was their notion that they were failing God, because of the belief that witches existed in 1692.
The Puritans played a large role in early American history and society. Most Puritans escaped the tyrannical rule in England to gain religious freedom in America, which helped create an early American society. Not only did the Puritans help form the early American society and religion, they also contributed to the earliest stories and narratives to help create a rich literary history for America. Puritan literature has helped many scholars and readers learn about early American history. One of the most famous American narratives is from Mary Rowlandson, who was the wife of a Puritan Minister. Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative is about her story of how she was captured and treated by Native American captors. Throughout the narrative Mary intertwined her experience with her Puritan beliefs. The narrative has helped gain a better historical understanding of the struggle of power between the English Colonies and the Native Americans, as well as providing the reader with a basic understanding of Puritan beliefs. While Mary Rowlandson’s narrative is about her survival experience with the Native Americans, the narrative helps expose Puritan theology and Puritan thoughts toward Native Americans.
One Puritan woman, Anne Hutchinson, was believed to have predictions from God. This infuriated the Puritans because they did not believe in the idea of God giving her visions and thoughts. They believed that Satan was the one giving her these visions and thoughts. Consequently, the Puritans then banished her into the wilderness outside of Massachusetts Bay. This shows that the Puritans treated anyone who did not totally agree with them as an outcast to their society.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceable to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (Amendment I, The Constitution of the United States of America)
Religious toleration in the British colonies was more limits than it was expansion. When there was "religious toleration", it had to go based on some rules that were put by the main church or by the royal Supremacy. Elizabeth the first is an adequate example of this. The Quakers were also limited by the church of England. Puritans along with the Quakers were pushed out of the colony and very badly tortured if they were caught going against the word of the Book of Prayer. Every time that a colony was able to practice their own religion, they would have to go by the rules and guidelines set by those with higher authority and power. Massachusetts and Pennsylvania were two colonies that were known to be religiously free. They were thought to be havens for fleeing religious parties from England.