The trial of Anne Hutchinson

Anne Hutchinson

Introduction to the Period- in the 16th and 17th century, a number of individuals, most in England, some in northern Europe, fled Europe to settle in the American colonies, believing that the English Reformation had not gone far enough, and that the Church of England was too tolerant of practices that resembled Catholicism. This conflict with the Anglican Church, and subsequent immigration to the American Colonies, changed the direction of religion in the areas. The central tenet of Puritanism was the Calvinist approach to God's supreme authority over all human affairs, both secular and religious. This put all moral and political authority in Biblical interpretations, and these interpretations became the cultural roles of the community, or original sin, of the way faith blended into cultural affairs, and the use of religion as a political basis for moral authority. On an individual level, the view was that each person had the potential to be reformed by God's grace to fight against sin. Thus, a humble and obedient (to the Church) life would allow every Christian the correct path to Heaven (Coffey and Lim, 2008).

A typical embodiment of this viewpoint was epitomized in Cotton Mather, a social, political, and cultural influence in the New England Puritan movement of the late 1600s. Mather, for instance, wrote about the Salem Witch Trials in the hopes that his recounting would encourage a greater spiritual awakening and widespread acceptance of religion. . In his writings, he outlined a path towards salvation; duties of parents and children, and a rather long and detailed list of actions for daily living that correspond with Biblical interpretation. (Mather, 2008).

However, it was a pioneer settler in the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Netherlands (New York area) colonies, an unauthorized minister of a dissident church discussion group, Anne Hutchinson, that was a key figure in the development of religious freedom during the Colonial Period in American history. Showing how time changes viewpoints the State of Massachusetts now honors her with a State House monument noting that she was a "courageous exponent of civil liberty and religious toleration" (Gomes, 2002).

Brief Biography -- Hutchinson was born in England in 1591 to a family of dissident Puritans. She was home schooled and learned to read using her father's many religious texts. She married in 1612 to a man who followed the sermons of John Cotton and, like Cotton, immigrated to Massachusetts in 1634 to escape persecution from the local Bishops. The Cotton settlers, like many others who came to America for religious reasons, wanted to practice their own interpretation of Christianity. Unfortunately, many forgot that they reasons for their emigration, and began to impose their view on others. In fact, there was considerable Puritan intolerance in Massachusetts and Connecticut (Fraser, 2000).

Once Hutchinson arrived in the colonies she became quite outspoken about some of her religious views. She was not only an avid student of the Bible, but also believed she received "divine inspiration" about the interpretation of Biblical passages. Generally, she believed in Puritanism, but was quite progressive about the role of women in society and could see no reason for the prevailing cultural and religious views about women being subservient. Hutchinson was quite vocal about this, and compelling in her beliefs that there was no Biblical contradiction in women being equal citizens, equal in educational needs, and most of all, equal in expressing viewpoints and discussions surrounding any religious or state matter. Since there was such a close relationship between church and state at the time, her outspoken views caused a conflict with the Massachusetts Bay Colonial government and the clergy of the Anglican Church (LaPlante, 2004).

As word of her interpretations and teaching spread, she gained new followers, including some men. She held regular "meetings" -- discussion groups that reinterpreted doctrine. She believed, for instance, in the Free Grace model -- the saved could sin, then ask for forgiveness, without endangering their salvation. She also claimed she could identify the spiritual elect, causing many to view her as a heretic (Ibid).

Trials- Finally, the religious community could tolerate no more. Hutchinson was gathering new followers; women were blatantly defying Puritan rules, and in 1637 she was brought to civil trial in the General Court of Massachusetts on the charge of "traducing the ministers." This Court included government officials and Puritan clergy. Despite being 46 and in the advanced stages of her 15th pregnancy, she was forced to stand for several days of interrogation before an all-male board who tried desperately to get her to admit to blasphemy and tempting mothers to neglect the care of their own families (Anne Hutchinson - Trial at the Court of Newton, 2002).

Hutchinson, despite jeers from the crowd and admonitions that she had stepped out of her place, defended herself quite well:

...you have no power over my body, neither can you do me any harme, for I am in the hands of the eternall Jehovah my Saviour, I am at his appointment, the bounds of my habitation are cast in heaven, no further doe I esteeme of any mortal man than creatures in his hand, I feare none but the great Jehovah, which hath foretold me of these things, and I doe verily beleeve that he will deliver me out of our hands, therefore take heed how you proceed against me; for I know that for this you goe about to doe to me, God will ruine you and your posterity, and this whole state (Ibid).

Despite this, she was banish from the colony as not being fit for the colony and imprisoned awaiting her religious trial.