So Many Books; So little Time

American Jezebel

American Jezebel

The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, The Woman Who Defied the Puritans

by Eve LaPlante

The Puritans are credited in American history classes with founding the United States of America with democracy and freedom of religion. But just how democratic and accepting were they? For that matter what were their core beliefs? What were women allowed to do in terms of religious worship?

Eve LaPlante, a multiple great-granddaughter of Anne Marbury Hutchinson, answers those questions and many more. In a very readable biography of a woman mentioned in many American history books, she details not only the life of Anne Hutchinson but also the life of her father (a Church of England minister jailed for puritan misbeliefs), her husband (Mr. Mom or just the most quiet, supportive husband not in history), John Cotton (minister of Boston and grandfather of Cotton Mather), and many others.

LaPlante disects the happenings of the 1600’s in light of the Church of England and its beliefs that drove many to the colonies and the Puritan beliefs that ultimately drove (literally ordered under pain of death) Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams out of Massachusetts. If you want to know Hutchinson’s and the Puritan’s beliefs on grace and works, they are here. If you want to find out about Hutchinson’s and Puritan’s beliefs on birth defects, they are here. If you want to know Hutchinson’s and Puritan’s beliefs on Native Americans and warfare, they are here.

If you want to know who called Anne Hutchinson an American Jezebel and why, read the book.

copyright 2004 by HarperCollins
Hardcover ISBN 0-06-056233-1

This book generated questions that requied me to think and review further. So, here are two follow-up posts that go along with it:

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 7:54 pm

Puritan Theology–

in a word–WORKS

Eve LaPlante says it better than I ever could–

from American Jezebel pg. 51 paragraph 3

“The argument was over salvation, or redemption by Christ, the subject of greatest concern to the colony’s seven or eight thousand souls. Salvation, which they called ‘justification,’ was the goal of the covenant, or contract, between God and humanity. In the first covenant, outlined in the Old Testament, God gave humanity the gift of perfect and eternal life in exchange for good behavior. In Genesis 17:7 God said to Abraham, ‘I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.’ Adam broke this covenant with his disobedience, leaving his descendants deprived. God then made a new covenant through Jesus Christ, offering fallen humanity another chance at justification. The Puritans believed, with Calvin, that God had to elect a person’s soul before birth in order for that person to be eligible for salvation. Human beings were granted this gift of saving grace, but they had to prove their worthiness by displaying faith and performing works, such as good deeds and socially appropriate behavior. In this view, held by [John] Winthrop and the orthodox ministers, people’s works demonstrate that they are saved.”

In contrast Anne’s view is closer to every Baptist’s whom I have ever met.

from American Jezebel, pg 52, paragraph 2–

“Anne Hutchison openly rejected this view of salvation, deriding it as a covenant of works. In her view, only God’s grace can bring justification; hence her covenant of grace. She saw external works (sanctification) as not irrelevant to salvation but not necessary for it and possibly deceptive in suggesting that someone has been saved. In her view, a hypocrite can go through the motions of good works while lacking true grace, which comes freely–as a gift of the Holy Spirit. She believed the covenant of works dangerously emphasizes a soul’s outward appearance of sanctification, while her covenant of grace depended only on God’s grace, which may be unseen.”

Scripture is quoted from the King James Version.

As a student and later as a teacher in a classroom, I was led by textbooks to believe that the Puritans were smiled upon by God. That was reinforced by the historical facts that the Pilgrims landed and built Plimouth Plantation on land that only belonged to a nearly extinct tribe of natives. So, there was no stealing of land on their part. That was also the reason for them being able to survive the winter, the natives accepting them and teaching them how to survive and was cemented with the fact that the First Thanksgiving feast was to give praise to God. What is not emphasized, for several reasons, or is at least disjointed from the story in the history texts is that these same Puritans burned witches at the stake with no opportunity for repentance. While the Puritans wanted the freedom to worship God in their own manner, they repeatedly refused to allow the same freedom to others, starting with the “strangers” and crew of the Mayflower who wintered with them in 1620 at Plimouth Plantation. Despite what many would believe from their history classes, the reason freedom of religion is guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution is not because of the Puritans but rather in spite of them. The Puritans are perhaps the reason there are so many small colonies in New England however.

In conclusion, I would guess that the reason the accusers on another forum think the way they do may have more to do with their history books than their own research.

Just a guess though. Hope this helps.

I’m praying for God to reveal direction for you daily.

In Christ and His Love,

ehart

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:15 am

Hello, PFD,

Another thought came to me in the early morning hours.

Perhaps we are being called “Puritanical Fundamentalists” not because we are theologically related to the Puritans but because we are trying to “Purify with Fundamentalism” the American Baptist denomination in particular and Christianity in general. After all the Puritans did not call themselves Puritan, rather it was a nickname given them because they wanted to Purify the Church.

Just a thought. Then, again, my last thought may have been more correct depending on the mindset of the accusers.

Still praying,

ehart

Seven From Heaven

Seven From Heaven–The Miracle of the McCaughey Septuplets

By Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey (with Gregg and Deborah Lewsi)

When Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey were married, they wished to be able to share their faith in Jesus with the world. God gave them seven little ways to do that–Kenneth, Alexis, Natalie, Nathan, Kelsey, Joel and Brandon. Who hasn’t heard of the McCaughey septuplets? Who hasn’t heard of the faith of Kenny and Bobbi McCaughey? But have you heard the WHOLE story of the faith journey that made them household words? This is their story in their own words of the salvation and faith journey that made their wish come true. On that journey, Kenny and Bobbi discovered faith needs. Kenny’s faith need was financial while Bobbi’s need was for strength and reassurance to see the pregnancy through as long as possible. Their struggles with giving those to God are the same as the ones we all have every day. Their rejoicing when God met those faith needs are exciting and contagious. And, ultimately, that is what this book is about–sharing a faith, strengthened by God in a very exciting and contagious way. Kenny and Bobbi got their wish.

Make a wish–Give it God–Then hold on for the ride!