Theme Of A Model Of Christian Charity

Upon examining the Book of Micah, there are many similar themes which Winthrop draws from in his speech. In the Book of Micah, God punishes the Israelites for breaking their religious covenant with their “lack of justice and honesty”. Micah then speaks with God to find out how they may gain God’s trust and love again to which God demands “to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” which Winthrop quotes directly. Winthrop is acknowledging the failures of previous Christians suggesting that they themselves are vulnerable to God’s wrath if they behave inappropriately, evidence that Winthrop does not believe his Puritans are perfect.

During the time of English colonization and settlement, John Winthrop wrote many pieces related to the importance of religion in society. These writings include A Model of Christian Charity which focused mainly on Puritan ideas on how to treat one another in order for the colony to survive.Winthrop, a very influential Puritan founder, proposed a society in the new colony of Massachusetts centered around religion and the idea that Puritan beliefs were the only sure way to ensure God’s blessings. Winthrop discusses that it is a civil duty amongst colonists to involve the Puritan religion in everyday life in order to preserve the colony as well as Puritan values. In the piece Winthrop writes that if the colony “ ...shall neglect the observation of these

Adapting a Puritan lifestyle drastically affected Winthrop’s perspective on the world and his role in it. He knew that he could not completely disconnect himself from it “as monks and hermits do” (Morgan 6) so he had to adapt to the struggle of finding a balance of his role of worshiping God and “lending his hand to shape [the world]” (Morgan 14).

One reason for the Colonial Americans’ growth in faith is the fact the era was abundant with religious figures who strove to lead people to God and created guidelines for them to live by. The people of Colonial America were blessed to abide in an “enchanted world of wonders.” These wonders were no doubt brought on by the hand of God, and the recognition of this fact caused new religious leaders to rise up and help people focus on living Godly lives despite the secular distractions that they were presented with. One Puritan leader, John Winthrop, stated, “That which the most in their Churches maintain as a truth in profession only, we must bring into familiar and constant practice, as in this duty of love we must love brotherly without dissimulation, we must love one another with a pure heart fervently we must bear one another’s burdens…” Winthrop not only wanted each individual person to maintain a stronger focus on faith in daily life, he also wanted them to use their faith to unite together, and his Model of Christian Charity showed the people how to accomplish that. Many people tried to abide by these teachings and pass them onto their children before they made their own way in the changing, confusing world because many parents feared their children would “Fall un’wares in Fowler’s snare.”

In the next part of the speech, Winthrop illustrated a position of women in society. It was not a secret that the seventeenth century was a men’s world. According to law and social order, women could not vote or have a possession. Consequently, the majority of women were housewives and had secondary roles after their husband, father or brothers. However, in spite of this miserable positions Winthrop showed that women still had some choice, “the woman’s own choice makes such a man her husband; yet, being so chosen, he is her lord” (Foner 31). It is similar how Christians choose their Savior. Thus, Winthrop pointed out, “she is to be subject to him” (Foner 31). In another word women’s role in the community was invisible and slightest disobedience was severely

John Winthrop wanted the American people to follow God and to do good deeds so that they could feel honored by God. Winthrop believed that, "the rich help the poor, instead of God directly, and therefore the rich demonstrate their work to God"(Contributors). In return the poor will show respect and gratitude towards them. He also argued that you should keep what you need in life and give the rest away to someone else who could benefit more from it. With just doing these acts of kindness, it could bring the community

In John Winthrop’s essay “City Upon a Hill”, Winthrop expresses his distinct views on the aims of the Puritans coming to New England. During the early 17th century in Europe, some groups separated from the Church of England. These groups were known as the Pilgrims, who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. This religion had a direct impact on religious ideas and culture in America. John Winthrop acquired a royal charter from King Charles I and created the Massachusetts Bay Colony. “City Upon a Hill” was written on the ship during the first mass Puritan migration to New England. This document provided the followers with a plan regarding their goals upon arriving in America. Winthrop firmly believes that the people who are willing to be fully

John Winthrop founded the colony of Massachusetts Bay in 1630, where he was the first Governor of the colony, a position he held for twenty years. In April, 1630, aboard the ship Arbella, he led a large party from England for the new world to establish a pure Christian based colony. "They hoped to establish communities of pure Christians who collectively swore a covenant with God that would they work for his ends, knowing that in return, He would watch over them".

In Edmund S. Morgan’s, The Puritan Dilemma, it was evident that John Winthrop focused his entire life around glorifying God, in turn creating a government that did the same. This ideology translated into the way he shaped and structured Puritan society. Winthrop first focused on the formation of a community of unity and harmony, then built a government that fostered it. All of the governmental structures in place were supporting one main focus of the Puritan society being “a city on a hill.” Citation Further, Puritan society was to act as an example for the surrounding colonies of godly living. Harmony was backed by their ideals of

Taken as a whole, Winthrop's message of love was his technique to unite his Puritan followers in the New World.

Within the colony of Massachusetts, religion played an important role in shaping the community’s people and interests. The reason for the Puritans move to North America was to escape the convictions the Christians of England were placing on them (Divine, 89). Winthrop and his followers believed that in this new land they must create a place where they could come together as a people and build the perfect religious society (Divine, 90). In a speech about his vision for the land, John Winthrop said, “We must delight in each

Firstly, John Winthrop earned the reputation of a compassionate and just judge over a decade of service, but he came to realize that it would be impossible to reach fame and fortune in England without substituting his Puritan values. In 1629, stockholders came together and elected John Winthrop as lead of the company, which existed due to the vast amount of opposition that the Anglican Church received from the Puritan community. John Winthrop believed that his fellow Englishmen should join him in his idea that the company must subsist bound together with mutual consent to be

Winthrop’s political theory developed from an early age. As a religious man, one would expect him to be a preacher, but he found his calling through law and leadership. Because he was such a devout Puritan, he was chosen to spearhead the project of establishing the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was originally purposed for economic uses. This changed when the group elected him as governor, which altered the purpose of the colony to be more religious in nature. As a result, this group of Christians made an “exodus” from the old world with the mindset of establishing a “true Christian society”, much like the Jews fleeing from Egypt, as described in the first testament, book of Exodus in the Bible. They felt it was not only a privilege but a duty of God, and as the metaphorical and literal hands of God, to uphold the values of a true Puritan society. This cemented in him a purpose to erect a community that would be that “Citty on a Hill” that is so famously quoted.

John Winthrop’s 1630 sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity” is one of the first examples of early “American exceptionalism”. (Noll, 2012) In his sermon, Winthrop (1630) talks about how the citizens in colonial America should set a good example for others, and obey God, as they are looked up to by non-Americans. This concept of America being chosen, or somehow unique in a divine manner was the fundamental meaning of American exceptionalism to Puritan society.

Dependent upon the clemency of God, the Puritans use their faith to ensure success in a new, foreign land. Ultimately, Winthrop implies that if the colonists genuinely dedicate themselves to Christ, their lives will be improved, in that God will help them in their endeavors: "The end is to improve our lives to do more service to the Lord...that ourselves and posterity may be the better preserved from the common corruptions of this evil world, to serve the Lord and work out our salvation under the power and purity of His holy ordinances" (215). By using the phrase "corruption of this evil world," Winthrop suggests that the only way to attain a virtuous and upright character is through spirituality and trust in God, who can help His followers to lead moral, meaningful lives. Winthrop insinuates that the Puritans have an obligation to God; they must leave their native land and establish a community abroad where God's people can live freely, strengthening their spiritual lives. If this is accomplished, then God too will aid the Puritans and bring mercy upon them: "When God gives a special commission He looks to have it strictly observed in the every article. When he gave Saul a commission to destroy Amaleck, He indented with him upon certain articles, and because he failed in one of the least, and that upon a fair pretense, it lost him the kingdom which should have been his reward if he had observed his commission"