Anne Hutchinson was a puritan that believed that the Holy Spirit was within her and that had the Holy Spirit within were not subject to the laws of man. Many believed that the conflicts she had with the clergy could lead to the destruction of the puritans religious experiments. As a woman challenging the clergy and other higher ups this was not something that women did in her times telling her "you have step out of your place"(Conlin,48) and that theses thing were not "fitting of you sex"(Conlin,48). They convicted her because the consider her a danger to the spiritual welfare of the people and banished her to Rhode
Her beliefs contradicted what the government and other religious leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colonies had already established. She believed that God had already decided on which souls would be saved and which souls would not be. Anne’s beliefs deeply divided the community because it was a new way of thinking for not only women but men as well. She was making people question their hierarchy and this was all new to the people of Massachusetts Bay.
During Anne Hutchinson’s life at Massachusetts Bay, she had come upon a set of beliefs through her own studies and ideas with them help of John Cotton, a minister and theologian. From the reading, it appeared that her beliefs were different compared to the original Puritans. For instance, she believed that salvation only came from faith, enslaving Indians was wrong, and that God came to her through an “immediate revelation” without the need of the clergy. In result, this showed a threat to the colony of Massachusetts Bay. Also, it was even more of threat to the colony that a woman, not a man, had this insight along with the separate meetings. In the end, the colony saw this whole situation as a threat, challenge, or even a test against the
Anne Hutchinson was a remarkable colonial woman who first came to Massachusetts in the fall of 1634. She is less remembered for her contributions in the new world as a wife, mother of fourteen, and midwife to many than for her eventual trial and banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I was interested in writing a paper on a colonial woman and chose Anne Hutchinson after a "Google" search turned up a very good review on a recent book about her life. I have been intrigued by the fact that the Puritans came to America to practice their religion freely, yet allowed no freedom to question their
David D. Hall looks at the Examination Of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson at the Court at Newton (1637). (Hall p 55) In his writing he talks about the Anne Hutchinson and her summons before A council of leading Ministers and magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where Anne Hutchinson would defend her unorthodox and beliefs and teaching. Anne Hutchinson was a seventeenth century women who used her voice freely and forcefully, as a result political maneuvering by the council destroyed her. Which this would lead the Antinomian Controversy. This controversy made Hutchinson famous in the unfolding in the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638, which the council was deeply satisfied with the teachings of several church leaders; begin to publicly express their discontent. “Hutchinson and others argued that preachers were promoting a covenant of works rather than a covenant of grace, wrongly communicating the idea that an indivual could be saved by obedience and duty rather than solely by redeeming grace of the holy sprit”. (Smith p 437) Hutchinson and followers wanted an endorsement that was clear of the
While she did believe in God like the Puritans, she did not believe in “Covenant of Works”, or believe that salvation could be earned by or through good deeds. Instead Hutchinson believed in the “Covenant of Grace”, and according to this view God’s grace was the only way to overcome sin. With the strict laws implemented by the Puritans, Hutchinson violated many of them including laws of the family, church and colony. Aside from believing in a different covenant, women were not supposed to have any type of leadership position and she led discussions from her home. Her discussions that she led at home often criticized ministers that preached the “Covenant of Works”, which was threatening to the Puritans.
Anne Hutchinson is partially similar to Puritans, although there are differences among their theology. As the Puritans desired a place of worship, where the Crown would not be interfering with their ideologies, Anne Hutchinson desired a place of worship. Furthermore, as the government attempted to convert the ideologies of the Puritans, the Puritans strived to control, convert, the ideologies of Hutchinson. However, in spite of their similarities, the Puritans focused on their differences: they did not uphold the similar theological principles. Moreover, they deemed her as a heretic.
In 1637, there was a religious dissenter who had led the way for religious independence in Puritan New England named Anne Hutchinson. Anne, was the fluent, strong-willed, quick-witted of a prominent merchant who had thirteen children, served as a healer, and midwife. On the other hand, Anne was deported from Boston in 1637 for her religious and women’s rights and escaped to Rhode Island. She had meetings at home about the sermons and the meetings turned into a famously forums for Hutchinson’s own narration on the religious matters. She also said to have some kind of experience with Holy Spirit that stated that Puritan ministers like two or three had preached the right “covenant of grace”. Not to mention she did disobey many laws and tried to be a leader but was going the wrong way of disobeying
After she had been charged, Anne Hutchinson was forced to go on trial in November 1637. Winthrop personally interrogated her and claimed that she was defaming the ministers. Anne was accused of questioning Bible teachings. Hutchinson fought Winthrop to prove his claim. She would answer his questions with challenging questions of her own. In result to her defiance, Winthrop condemned her teaching men in public as “not fitting for her gender.” Anne attempted to defend herself with biblical terms and by quoting Titus. She wanted to make it clear that it was up to the older women to the younger ones. Unfortunately, her fate was decided. Because Hutchinson claimed her revelations came directly from God, it showed that there was a clear case of heresy. The magistrates immediately revealed that she was to be banished from the community.
It is my understanding that Anne's type of mischief was not too uncommon for that time period in Massachusetts. Meetings were held all over between Puritans discussing religious topics such as Biblical translations and weekly sermons
extremist of sorts when it came to the role of women under the Puritan religion.
Anne Hutchinson held meetings at her house on Sundays to recall what had been said during the church sermon as well as to add her own ideas and thoughts on the topics that were being discussed. At first this seemed very normal but when her teachings began influencing people to pull away from the other Puritans, Winthrop recognized this as a problem. Anne Hutchinson taught others of her numerous propositions, which opposed the purpose of this excursion to New England. Morgan states that, Mrs. Hutchinson’s beliefs, “…threatened the fundamental conviction on which the Puritans built their state, their churches, and their daily lives, namely that God’s will could be discovered only through the bible” (Morgan). Anne Hutchinson was in fact an Antinomian, she opposed the fixed meaning of God’s moral law that Winthrop had worked so hard to teach these people. As a result, Mrs. Hutchinson was causing a huge threat to the settlers. She was trying to manipulate others to share her religious beliefs. Winthrop would not tolerate such behavior, as she was behaving sinfully, she must be punished accordingly or else as Winthrop believed, they would all suffer from God’s wrath. Winthrop took Mrs. Hutchinson to a court hearing and after a long, battle it was decided by the court that Mrs. Hutchinson was to be banished from Massachusetts. Mrs. Hutchinson was set as an example for the others who may
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
The book Anne Hutchinson: Puritan Prophet, by Timothy D. Hall, tells the story of a strong-willed woman whose faith and intellect brought her about to play a major role in early New England Puritan life. Hall tries to answer many questions surrounding Hutchinson throughout the book to try and bring clarity to a powerful historic event.
Anne Hutchinson has long been seen as a strong religious dissenter who paved the way for religious freedom in the strictly Puritan environment of New England. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Anne Hutchinson asserts that she was simply a loving wife and mother whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued to be a radical religious movement. Since this alleged religious movement was led by a woman, it was quickly dealt with by the Puritan fathers as a real threat. Whatever her motives, she was clearly a great leader in the cause of religious toleration in America and the advancement of women in society. Although Anne Hutchinson is historically documented to have been banished as a religious dissenter, the real
She was self taught and learned also by reading the books within her father’s library. Her family was middle class and members of the church. Her father was a reverend. She married William Hutchinson a magistrate in the colony. Hutchinson like many other women played a role in child bearing as a midwife. She held the same roles within the household as other women. It was her actions outside of the household that Hutchinson was held accountable for. Hutchinson began following the sermons of John Cotton, an outspoken advocate of self-determination of congregational government. Following this ideology Hutchinson started hosting meetings that presented theological interpretations of sermons and scriptures; ideas that contradicted with the Puritan religion. The church found her a threat to the commonwealth. The meetings were not only appealing to men but to women as well. Many listened to what she had to say and the church feared that people who begin to follow her as well. Hutchinson had stepped beyond a gender role that during the early 17th century was were considered inappropriate for women. As a woman she was allowed to express religious experiences but was not supposed to go around teaching their own interpretation of God’s word. When placed on trial Hutchinson spoke open mindedly, but within context of male hierarchy. She was challenging the ministers therefore, challenging government due to the large ties between the