The Contrasting Views of Roger Williams and John Winthrop

As the country became established, immigration was encouraged and even advertised. There were few restrictions on who can enter and where they could live. Some states were in charge of their own borders and had some policies in place. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that some began to look at what the image of America should be. This was the basis of many early

Rodger Williams was an Anglican priest who had puritan tendencies. He founded Rhode Island and believed that religion should not be imposed upon the citizens (Frohen 42). Williams wrote the parliament in England because he wanted them to allow free discussion in England

The second, a classic form of separatism, arose most spectacularly in the person of Roger Williams, who thought it necessary for the members of a congregation to "make a public declaration of their repentance for having communion with the churches of England, while they lived there." Thus it was sufficient in his eyes to have banished that Church's errors from Puritan congregations; it was even necessary to renounce the Church. Winthrop understood the danger of Williams's ideas, that they might/must lead one to keep withdrawing further and further from the world and burrowing deeper into oneself, in the ultimately mistaken belief that only one's own vision of God's truth is pure.

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).

In the Puritan religion, one cannot love anything more than one loves God. In the case of John Winthrop, this edict became an issue. He did not want to abandon the Church of England as the separatists did, a decision which eventually led to the pilgrims starting their own new church. Winthrop wanted to purify the church; however, the government in England made this particularly hard and eventually this is what led to Winthrop leaving England for the New World to solve the Puritan Dilemma. The Puritan Dilemma was a figurative battle between the Church of England and the Puritan religion. It was also a real threat with opposing religions that would come and threaten the Puritans way of life. John Winthrop recognized these problems and sought to remedy them.

Religious freedom was greatly desired by Puritans and one of the main reasons for immigration. Puritans believed that the church should only accept “visible saints” and because King Charles I accepted all of his subjects, they left England for Massachusetts. John Winthrop wrote: “We must be knit together in this work as one man…We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us…if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us,” in A Model of Christian Charity. Winthrop believed that his followers should stay together in unity and to always remember their religion and to follow it well. Puritans entered the Massachusetts area, ready to pursue religious freedom from the Church. On the other hand, the Chesapeake region consisted of Protestants who followed the Church of England. However, following religion did not become as important to the Protestants until the 1700s. In History of Virginia by Captain John Smith, he mentioned that Smith had to kill one of the captains to stop the settlers from going back to England as

Separatism is mentioned often throughout the story also. Separatism is more directed to people who believed that religion should be viewed perfectly. Puritans and Separatists often had the trouble of getting along just because of the differences between the two. Instead of being in one church like the puritans preferred, the separatists believed in forming multiple churches and believed that religion should be spread out. John Winthrop was a Puritan who wanted to share his religion. Since there weren’t many puritans in England, he wanted to form a new colony where he could have strictly just Puritans. This new colony was labeled the “new world” also known as, the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John ended

New England marks the beginnings of the Baptist struggle for “religious liberty.” Baptist names such as: Roger William, John Clark, and William Screven were significant figures that advanced the cause and displayed the trials and struggle of “religious liberty.” Roger William, (who was a

Roger Williams, born in London in 1603, influenced the United States through his efforts to create religious freedom and through his establishment of Rhode Island. Before coming to America, Williams was able to receive an education at Pembroke College at Cambridge University, receiving various scholarships for his merit in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. At the time of his marriage to Mary Barnard in 1629, Williams had already been a name known throughout Europe for his ideals on religious acceptance. His religious tolerance sprung from his lifelong desire for a closer relationship with God. Although these strong beliefs caused many problems for him—including getting banished from places like Massachusetts—he never let them go. He let them fuel

His father, James, was a prosperous merchant in London. His mother, Alice, brought him up in the Anglican Church. Roger’s early exposure to King James I’s religious persecution of the Puritans might have influenced his later beliefs in civic and religious liberty.In adolescence, Roger came to the attention of Sir Edward Coke, the brilliant English lawyer. With Coke’s support, Roger enrolled in Charter House School in London. Displaying a gift for languages, he quickly ch. This earned him a scholarship to Pembroke College, in Cambridge. After graduating from the school in 1627 Williams took holy orders in the Church of England. However, before leaving Cambridge, he converted to Puritanism, alienating himself from the Anglican Church.so he did not like a lot of peapolHis death went mostly unnoticed. It was the that transformed Williams into a local hero–Rhode Islanders came to appreciate the legacy of religious freedom he had bequeathed to

John Winthrop left peacefully, leading a newer and better colony of his own. Anne Hutchinson left quietly, avoiding additional problems and departed to Rhode Island, continuing her faith. Roger Williams withdrew his members within the Puritan church. Finding it easier and less risky than being associated with the church of the old world. In Morgan's Puritan Dilemma, Puritans actually somewhat provided opportunity for the British population in the early American history. They established a purely religious society. Puritanism created both loyal supporters and critics. In most people's opinions in the world now days, we may believe that puritans were evil brainwashing crazy people but I do have an open mind and I could somewhat agreement with the things they have done. It had a good start but a mad ending, people should be able to have their opinions but they were just keeping control over the people to keep a good an healthy relationship with the lord. Yes, in the end, killing and exiling people because they want to be human and just do things is a wrong way to do it but if it's not working out then do exactly what these three have done and walk away. Create another life elsewhere and keep doing what you believe in. Everyone has their own believes and we are the world we are now because people never gave up on their goals, dreams and opinions. Puritans were no way right but when you think about it they had somewhat of a good outlook on it and in the end

John Winthrop speaks of how people should devote themselves to God and disregard all that interferes with that endeavor in A Model of Christian Charity. This was most likely written for the people in the Massachusetts Bay Colony because that area was settled primarily by Puritans. He suggests that the only way in which this is possible is to join into a brotherhood of sorts. This shows his Puritanism and that of others because Puritans were very determined people in becoming closer to God. Puritans did not even allow art, dancing, or music to be in churches. This is so that no distractions can be in place between the worshipper and God.

3. "Explain how Massachusetts Bay’s conflict with religious dissenters, as well as new economic opportunities, led to the expansion of New England into Rhode Island, Connecticut, and elsewhere." Some colonists were exiled from the colony of Massachusetts because of their unusual religious

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"

Winthrop talks about the law of nature, which tells them to always to love their neighbor. No enemies, just friends. He says this because in order to work together and be a better society you must be able to get along with everyone. He states that love is the bond that will keeps the society together and as one. He says to always love with a pure heart. He talks about the law of grace, which is a moral law. This love and these rules united the Puritans. Lastly, when Christians need are in need of God, they must help him instead of just receiving. By giving, lending and forgiving. He says that no one is perfect, and that if one Christian suffers, they all suffer. Christians are held together. They are together by love; they walk with each other through strength and weaknesses.