Anne Hutchingson and Freeborn Garrettson

“The Political Trial of Anne Hutchinson” is an article written by Anne Fairfax and Jack Schwartz for the New England Quarterly in 1978. It talks about the time period of which Anne Hutchinson, a religious housewife in 1637, had different beliefs than the Massachusetts colonies. She held meetings that would discuss that week’s sermon. After sometime, these meetings gained a lot of recognition which brought in a large following. She became a very popular religious leader in the 1630’s.

By the middle of the 1700’s, a significant organization took place. From New England to Georgia, different groups of Baptists began to form churches. They had only one doctrinal requirement that united them, i.e., the believer’s baptism by full immersion in water; also, Baptists then had different theological doctrinal beliefs. Notwithstanding, in the 1700’s, Baptist leaders sought to unify and homogenize the Baptist theology; they founded colleges and formed associations. However, the cause of “religious liberty,” was also a unanimous and significant characteristic that united the majority of Baptists. Their participation within their communities distinguished from other denominations. The Baptists were not contending for tolerance but for absolute “religious liberty.” Theirs demand was not for their right only but for the right of all dissenters and non-conformists as well. Some historians affirm that religious liberty in America was accomplished due to the diligence of the American Baptist, which now is proven to be the greatest contribution to American science and statecraft.”11

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

Anne Hutchinson- was a Puritan spiritual adviser and an important contributor in the Antinomian Controversy that shook the entire colony of Massachusetts Bay from 1636 to 1638.

While his work did not engage directly with the topic, a tinge of anti-intellectualism was fostered within the movement this book examined. In Spiritual Mobilization’s magazine, Faith and Freedom, the editor devoted an entire issue to confronting clergymen who supported the Social Gospel, a movement which he claimed was led by, “a small, unusually articulate minority who feel political power is the way to save the world. . .” If the articles of the 1930’s demonstrated a distrust of the “unusually articulate,” the embracing of religious identity and language publicly by the Eisenhower administration had created an atmosphere in the 1950's whereby the Gideons International, Inc. was actively trying to influence curriculum in U.S. schools. Traveling preachers successfully utilized marketing techniques to blend entertainment, education, and religion into a single message. Sadly, that single message forbade the kind of discourse or dissent which fosters intellectual growth. Rather, the libertarian ideologies, which had inspired the original rebellion against the Social Gospel, had come to full fruition in snuffing out dissenters and making commonplace the existence of state-sanctioned

Notably, the Great Awakening was encouraged by the thoughts of the Enlightenment such as the view that one could question governmental authority since it was not infallible. Therefore, these new ideals it caused churches to minimalize the sovereignty of church officials, focusing more on political liberty even within the church, which led to a democracy-based environment in churches (Stanfield, 1949). Evidently, such an excise of self-government within established churches not only encouraged Americans to strive toward self-government through the American Revolution yet also prepared them to efficiently govern such a democracy. Furthermore, the Great Awakening also stressed the idea that all men were equal in God’s sight, therefore empowering

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.

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

The reason I picked this topic is because I admire Anne Hutchinson and the history of her

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

The Second Great Awakening laid the foundations of the development of present-day religious beliefs and establishments, moral views, and democratic ideals in the United States. Beginning back in late eighteenth century and lasting until the middle of the nineteenth century,1 this Protestant awakening sought to reach out the un-churched and bring people to a much more personal and vivid experience of Christianity. Starting on the Southern frontier and soon spreading to the Northeast, the Second Great Awakening has also been associated as a response against the growing liberalism in religion - skepticism, deism, and rational Christianity.2 Although the movement is well-known to be

To begin with, Anne Hutchinson and Hester Prynne both have issues concerning their faith. They both struggled with their communities regarding the the topic of faith. Anne practiced faith and shared it with others for it is said that, “It was among her female neighbors in need of her medical skills that she first communicated her controversial religious idea” (History.com Editors). Anne was an independent woman and taught the meaning of faith to others. Many people in the town followed her, but it caused problems for what she taught between the townspeople. In addition to this, there was tension and disagreement throughout the people, resulting in Anne being excommunicated from the church. She was excommunicated from the church because she was accused of blasphemy (History.com Editors). With Hester, she has faith but, “Outwardly, she is penitent, serves the members of the community, and suffers their abuse willingly—"a martyr indeed"—but she resists praying for them in case her words inadvertently turn into a curse” (Malibor). Hester is a person the people of the town can talk to about their problems. She helps the townspeople, but they don’t help her in return due to her punishment. She believes that praying for them would result with a curse among the townspeople. In a similar matter, regarding her faith and Pearl she says, “God gave her into my keeping, I will not give her up” (Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter 104). When the community tries to take away Pearl away from her

Anne Hutchinson, a woman who lived in Puritanical New England not long before the Salem trials occurred, was a prime example of just how corrupt and hypocritical the courts of that time were. Salem, and New England in its entirety, were Puritanical theocracies—religion and government were inextricably linked. Anne was synonymous with the people of 1692 Salem in that her faith was her lifeline. Faith was such a prominent part of Anne’s life that she began to host religious meetings at her house where she could speak of and preach her religious beliefs freely, or so

     This essay is dedicated to the expression of the various official views of religious bodies within our nation. Most major denominations are represented. These religions have long been the custodians of the truth, serving to check the erratic and unpredictable tendencies of political, judicial and social bodies which would have Americans killing off their elderly and handicapped.

According to Hinks, Methodists were usually more willing to place “the powerful God of Christianity… on the side of social and political justice.” One religious message that Walker conveys through this Appeal that supports this claim, was