Religion in UniversitiesReligion in Universities  Universities in the colonies were established to educate and train the future leaders of the colonies. As referenced in New England’s First Fruits, after the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony the settlers needed an institution of higher learning to educate the upcoming members of the clergy as well as the future leaders of the colony. Thus, Harvard was born with the intent to educate the leading class in the colony. The College’s curriculum covered topics ranging from languages and the arts to philosophy and divinity.  Other universities were established in the other colonies, based on the same foundations as Harvard: to educate future leaders in the community.

Cont’d  As in England, differing interpretations of scripture and the word of God divided the Protestants into different sects. Each university established was founded in Christian beliefs and ideals that differed slightly from one another.  Puritanism was the sect of Christianity that formed from disagreements with the Church of England. Puritans embraces more Calvinist tenets and broke further from the rituals and practices of Catholicism, something they believed the Church of England did not do adequately.  Arminianism was the ideology that believers had more agency in their heavenly pursuits. They could choose to accept salvation by acknowledging God’s sovereignty or choose damnation by denying it. Followers put their faith in the “covenant of works” rather than the “covenant of grace” and was utilized to promote obedience to authority.

Antinomian ControversyAntinomian Controversy  Another Christian ideology was known as antinomianism. This was the belief that the “saved” and the “non-saved” were subject to different laws. Those who were “saved” knew they were through some divine sign. This ideology gave worshippers more agency in their behavior and thinking.  Anne Hutchinson and her friend and ally Reverend John Cotton believed in these ideals, especially the idea that the devout Christians' actions should be in regards to “absolute grace” rather than “works.” This belief was particularly attractive to Anne Hutchinson as it was not as restrictive towards women as the “covenant of works” was. Women did not have the same opportunities as men did; therefore, the idea that salvation could be obtained through piety was much more accessible to women than the idea of good works.

Background on Anne Hutchinson  Anne Hutchinson, nee Marbury, was born in Alford, Lincolnshire, England in 1591 to an Anglican minister and his wife. Due to her father’s position in the Church and his strong belief in education, Anne received a higher education than most women in her day. At 21 she married William Hutchinson, and old friend from her hometown and started a family that would eventually grow to number 15 children. She became enamored with the preaching of Reverend Cotton, an engaging Puritan preacher who emphasized the concept of “absolute grace” over the “covenant of works” in his sermons. In 1634, the Hutchinson's moved to Boston, following Cotton’s trail to start their lives in the colonies.  As an engaging and enigmatic woman, Anne became particularly influential with the women of the town, often acting as midwife or in whatever capacity she was needed. Anne wielded a higher degree of influence than women particularly had during the 1600s and as such she became dangerous to the men in her town.

Cont’d  After each Sunday’s mass, Anne would host the women of the parish in her home to discuss and interpret that day’s sermon. As an educated and charismatic woman, Anne was highly regarded among the women. These meetings gave the women some agency and a space to exchange and form their own opinions and interpretations of scripture and morality that was separate from their husbands.  Due to Anne’s popularity, the men of the town became threatened in their positions of power. They could not understand how a woman could wield as much power as Anne did in the community and began insinuating that she was a witch and in league with Satan.

Anne’s TrialAnne’s Trial  In November of 1637, Anne Hutchinson was put on trial for two different types of heresy: antinomianism and familism. In this context antinomianism meant literally “to go against or oppose the law” which was the moral law in this case. Familism was a charge that insinuated that Hutchinson had broken her matrimony to God through immoral acts.

Trial Cont’dTrial Cont’d  Anne was charged with slandering the ministers of the Church as evidenced through her meetings after sermons and her dismissal of Reverend Wilson, who did not share her interpretation of scripture. Throughout the proceedings, she was also accused of troubling the peace of the commonwealth and the Churches. As a woman, Anne could not publically share her opinions nor publish them in any writing, which provided as an effective defense during her trial as there was not definitive proof that she was troubling the peace.  It seemed as though Anne would evade her charges until she stated to the court:  You have no power over my body nor can you do me any harm-for I am in the hands of the eternal Jehovah, my Savior, I am at his appointment, the bounds of my habitation are case in heaven, no further do I esteem of any mortal man than creatures in his hand, I fear none but the great Jehovah, which hath foretold me of these things, and I do verily believe that he will deliver me our of our hands. Therefore take heed how you proceed against me-for I know that, for this you go about to do to me, God will ruin you and your posterity and this whole state.  This statement against the court was considered seditious and helped the court come to the decision that Anne should not only be exiled from the colony but also excommunicated from the Church.

Anne Hutchinson’s LegacyAnne Hutchinson’s Legacy  Anne Hutchinson was a revolutionary woman who exercised great power and influence in an environment that discouraged women from exercising their own agency. She helped form a theological schism in the Massachusetts Bay Colony that resulted in her exile as well as the banishment of many of her supporters.  The main lesson learned from Anne Hutchinson’s life and trial is that, while women were not formally educated in the colonies yet, Anne used her higher level of education learned from her father and her devout faith in God to influence and educate the women and men around her. She amassed a following that was uncommon for women in the 1600s. It was through her faith and education that Anne was able to influence so many people as it is through faith and education that American universities educated their leaders.

Sources  Eve LaPlante, American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans. (San Francisco: Harper, 2004).  Robert A. McCaughey, Stand, Columbia: A History of Columbia University in the City of New York, (New York: Columbia UP, 2003).  Picture:  Joyce. Anne Hutchinson: Our First Miss America. Carping Tongues, 