Anne Hutchinson essays

Anne Hutchinson essays Was Anne Hutchinson such a threat to the Massachusetts Bay Colony? Anne Hutchinson was a middle aged house wife who in 1638 was forced to leave her town and her life behind her, as she was excommunicated and banished from the puritan community. Like many religious zealots Anne and her family had fled from the unjust rule of the English church and boldly set forth to the new world. Anne and her family where prominent members of the puritan church and where widely respected in Boston Massachusetts. Anne was an educated, enlightened and an opinionated woman. Because of this free-thinking nature Anne was open to sharing her knowledge and did so by inviting people to here home on a set day every week. (page20) Here guests would be introduced to a variety of liberal and reformist views regarding many facets of the Puritan Church. At these meetings Anne was very informal and spread Antinomian beliefs that imbued a radical philosophy that Christians are not bound by established laws, especially moral laws, but should rely on faith and divine grace for sa lvation. (Confession page 26-27) Anne Hutchinson posed no physical danger to the citizens of the Massachusetts Bay area. However in a time when religious extremism was the backbone of society, Anne Hutchinsons extremist views threatened the puritan lifestyle by disregarding the foundations of the conservative puritan church. This kind of activity was considered unlawful in that the New World puritan settlement was though of as a grand holy mission (page 13) the success of which would provide a template for reforming religious world order. The Clerical as well as judicial bodies of Massachusetts recognized Anne as an antagonist to the Puritan mission. They quickly formulated a case to condemn Anne Hutchinson, thus making a statement to all other Antinomians that liberal ideology was not to be condoned. The case against Anne was loosely constructed and relied upon...