Compare And Contrast Anne Hutchinson And John Winthrop

While discussing Puritan New England, it was obvious that there is a lot to be learned about our religious history due to the impact it makes on our world today. Two large influences in Puritan New England history are Anne Hutchinson and John Winthrop. Hutchinson was a woman who moved her family to New England for religious freedoms that unattainable in England. As she began practicing her new religious freedoms, she became popular in the town as an interpreter of the bible. Soon after she gained her popularity, Winthrop heard of what she was practicing and took action quickly. He was protective of the New England colony and, though religious freedoms were to be practiced, Winthrop did not want any threats against the end goal of a model community. …show more content…
In the beginning of his document he explains that there will not necessarily be equality just because it is the new world. This statement includes inequality with women. Hutchinson, who was a woman, was not allowed to teach others about the bible in her home. Winthrop also explains that the ultimate goal that they are trying to achieve is salvation for each person individually and for humanity. Although they have some conflicting views, this is the motivation behind both Winthrop and Hutchinson’s actions: they are trying to achieve salvation for themselves and for everyone. At this time, the people heavily relied on typology, which is believing that however God handled situations in the Old Testament, he would handle them the same way now. The main aspect they focused on was national chastisement, or national punishment. In this way, John Winthrop believed that God had allowed the Puritans to get by with certain things in England, but he would not let them in the new world. It was thought that if they didn’t fulfill what they believed to be the new covenant, God would punish them as a nation similar to how he did in the Old Testament. Winthrop stated, “Now if the Lord shall please to hear us, and bring us in peace to the place we desire, then hath He ratified this covenant and sealed our commission…seeking great things for ourselves and our posterity, the Lord will surely break out in wrath against us.” The Puritans lived as if they were God’s chosen people in the Christian era and believed that as long as they remained true to their faith, God would bless them, but if they didn’t, God would punish them. Winthrop had a goal to achieve salvation for the people and a model Christian community that would be an inspiration to the rest of the