Religious Freedom In Colonial America

A second reason for the religious prevalence in Colonial America was the evil that people faced. “The providence of God was ‘wonder-working’ in making manifest the reach of his sovereignty; such acts of ‘special providence’ represented God’s clearer and more explicit than usual intervention into the affairs of man. But he was not alone in having supernatural power. The events

In this article, William H. Browne is able to present how crucial and beneficial the Maryland Act Concerning Religion of 1644 was during the religious-political battles of the English Civil War. The article expressed how the act was a huge milestone in the early history of religious freedom in America and how at the time it helped reestablish order in Maryland by institutionalizing the principle of toleration that had prevailed from the colony's beginning. More specifically, the act provided punishment for anyone who "troubled or molested" a Christian for religious reasons which would consequently help establish harmony amongst the different religions of the time. The article goes on to say

In the 1630s to 1660s, the Puritans strong belief in god and its upholding shaped the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s development. The colony was fully based on the Puritan’s view which painted their religion and it effected the lifestyle. The Puritans were a highly religious group that believed god’s will was the absolute. As shown in document 3, it states how the church is always right and nothing should be done to offend it. This shows the grasp of the Puritans hold toward god because this was a statement of the church’s membership and so it should display their beliefs.

The Puritans that came to New England wanted to escape religious persecution in Europe. They believed in strong family units/relationships and a strong foundation in the church; but they didn’t want to follow the Church in England, they wanted to make their own rules. “The newcomers intended to build a godly “city on a hill” that would serve as an example to the world” (pg 66). A “city on the hill” is an example of status, flawlessness, and godliness (since it is closer to the heavens). They set up tightly knit family communities, farms, and churches. However, their religion was very exclusive and their “guidelines” dictated that everything that happened was according to God’s plan, which meant that they could gamble, get drunk, etc.… In their

Unlike in modern North America, in many areas, there was relatively no separation of church and state. Puritan colonies, for example, held the belief that god blessed good societies and placed judgment upon those who were not, thus they sought to build Christian states (Goff & Harvey, 2004, pp. 11-12). In the New England colonies, in particular, the civil authorities were not only responsible for civil law enforcement but were additionally “responsible for maintaining religious orthodoxy” (Goff & Harvey, 2004, pp. 233-234). Moreover, those who questioned or rebelled against Puritanism found themselves penalized by the state by means of jailing, whipping, exile, or even execution (Goff & Harvey, 2004, p. 234). Although not all, a number of reigns either answered to or were heavily influenced by

Religious freedom was a main reason why the colony’s went to the New World. Many places did not have freedom. People wanted be live in whatever religion they wanted, not just in the church of England. Many colonies were founded for religious freedom. Some of the main religious groups were Catholics, Puritans and Puritans. Most of the colonies were founded for religious freedom. In the 1600’s, many of the first and last colonies were founded for religious freedom.

All the British colonies allowed the practice of many religions, but there were some colonies that only allowed it to a certain extent. An example would be Massachusetts, who allowed religious freedom, but only to the Puritans. They did not allow others to practice any other religion, and if they did, they were prosecuted. Rhode Island and Pennsylvania were the only two colonies that allowed religious freedom to the fullest extent. They believed people should be able to practice their own religion. The New England Colonies, except for Rhode Island, were all strict of religious freedom. The Middle Colonies and the Southern Colonies had a mix of religions from Jews, Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Anglicans, and others.

In Colonial Williamsburg, Bruton Parish Church had about 2,000 members that worshiped in this building. People had to pray at the church at least once a month. Some of the members had different beliefs, but still went to a place that worshiped what the British wanted. Bruton Parish encouraged freedom of religion and to pray to whoever people wanted. The patriots learned about freedom of religion at Bruton Parish Church and wanted to have their own religious view. With many church members, people would talk about current events and would find out important news by having multiple conversations among many different people. After having a dispute at the Capitol building, sometimes members of the council and burgesses would go to the church and

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

Religion had a powerful impact on Puritans lives. Many Puritan people had faith in a supreme being, God, and the teachings of his Divine Son, Jesus Christ. They’d assume that if you weren’t a good Christian they would suffer in hell, but if you were one would be saved by god. An example would be in the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” the speaker strongly describes about how being a bad Christian has its consequences and the good things that come of being a good Christian. “Many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.”(152)This explains how they had a strong feeling towards god’s ways. By being concerned about their religious life and being good Christians.

Benjamin Franklin and Elizabeth Ashbridge address the subject about the practice of religion in late colonial America in their narratives. Franklin has very unique view of religion, which was innovative for his time. Franklin questions his faith and the beliefs of not only his religion that he was raised in, but all religion and decided that he would rather study on Sunday than go to church. Though Franklin openly expressed doubt about religion, he does eventually invent his own religious routine and recognizes the existence of a deity. Franklin states in his narrative, “I never was without some religious Principles; I never doubted, for instance, the Existence of the Deity, that he made the World”. Franklin opens up to the reader that the ideas of religious practice were changing in Colonial America, religion was being viewed in a new perspective. This perspective gave way for new spiritual thinking that was beginning to take hold in late colonial America.

The British Colonists traveled over into the New World for society to work out in their own favor. However, this was not the case for these colonists; they carelessly came into the New World with the intent of having their own freedom of religion, being culturally intertwined with the natives already, and for their own overall independence economically . The British did not make a smooth transformation into this New World when they first arrived over seas, they brought chaos not only to the Natives but also the development of their colonies and themselves.

It is a fairly well known fact that the colonization of the New World in general, and more specifically, what would become eventually become the United States of America, was heavily based upon commercial endeavors. However, it was also heavily influenced by the desire of people to possess and preserve religious independence. Placing the potential for commercial success aside and focusing on the religious aspects of colonization, the proliferation of various religions over the course of colonial history is quite extensive and, by proxy, its’ influence upon developing colonial societies was far-reaching. Because of the historical significance of many different religions throughout the colonies, it would also suggest that religious diversity was likely equally impactful in eliciting change. All of this leads this author to speculate about how much influence religion had upon colonial upheaval over time and whether or not the ensuing dissent was a major factor in the lead up to The French and Indian War and eventual revolution of the American colonies. To uncover the significance and role religion played in the American colonies, a number of different articles were reviewed, each representing different perspectives, points of view, and empirical evidence about religion in colonial America.

This ideology is not new to society, but is dated to around 539 B.C. and is firmly rooted in American humanity (“Freedom of Religion & Public Education”). Religious freedom is a universal human right that protects the choice of religion someone chooses and practices. Without this civil right, people cannot think, express or act upon with religious liberty and this can result to acts of violence, inequality and prejudice throughout the state (“Freedom of Religion or Belief.”). A community that consists of an array of acceptances is going to allow diversity to flourish. James Madison brings an important transformation of 1800’s and 1900’s America through religious freedom.

Focusing on the major contributions of dissenting minority religions and the collective efforts of non-elite followers, Buckley breaks with the trend of ignoring the vast majority of Virginia colonists on subjects not named the Great Awakening. However, his work slips into the realm of presentism with a strong hint of bias when he discusses the uneasy alliance between colonial rationalists and evangelicals in their fight for disestablishment. Buckley argues that although they agreed on many issues, they disagreed on the relationship of church and state. While rationalists believed in a total separation, “the intent of the evangelicals was not a complete separation of church and state in rationalist terms nor the privatization of religion.” His underlying argument is clear; the United States owes its freedom of religion not to the ‘Founding Fathers’ but to the populace of Virginia, many of whom associated themselves with a ‘dissenting’ religion who believed in the freedom of voluntary association and the continuation of some form a church/state relationship. Buckley, the Jesuit priest writing in the 1970s, was supporting an argument for increased church activity in the public sphere by arguing that the legal and academic fields had misrepresented the intentions of colonial Americans by emphasizing too much on the intent of Revolutionary leaders.