Banished!

In the annals of American colonial history, few figures are as controversial, yet vitally important, as Roger Williams. Though he arose from the Puritan tradition, Williams’s fervent belief in religious freedom and separation of church and state set him apart, ultimately leading to the foundation of Rhode Island as a haven for dissenters. In our study of this figure, it is crucial to highlight not only the challenges he faced but also the indelible mark he left upon the colonial tapestry.

Roger Williams was born around 1603 in London, England. As a young man, he displayed an aptitude for languages, learning from the eminent jurist Sir Edward Coke, who took a particular interest in him. Williams pursued studies at the Charterhouse School, followed by Pembroke College, Cambridge. His time in England shaped his early views, especially witnessing the growing tensions between Puritans and the Church of England.

In 1631, seeking a place to practice his faith without the shackles of religious persecution, Williams, along with his wife Mary, arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. His theological knowledge was immediately recognized, and he was offered a post in the Boston church. However, Williams declined, citing theological differences.

Williams was critical of the Church of England’s corrupt practices and believed that no civil authority should have the power to enforce religious beliefs. He maintained that the true church of Christ was not to be found within the established church.

Williams then took up a position with the Plymouth church. However, his time there was marred by disagreements with the church leaders over their close ties to the Church of England, which he believed was beyond reform and entirely apostate.

As Williams vocalized his views, he faced increasing opposition from the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s authorities. His criticism of the colony’s charter, claiming the King had no right to grant indigenous lands to the colonists, further strained relations. By 1635, the situation reached its zenith. Williams was tried and convicted of sedition and heresy. On October 9, 1635 he was banished from the colony. Despite the harsh New England winter, Williams fled, taking refuge with the Narragansett tribe.

With those of a similar mind, in 1636, Williams founded the settlement of Providence, purchasing land from the Narragansetts. It was here, in what would become Rhode Island, that he championed the radical idea of complete religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

Despite his differences with Massachusetts Bay, when the colony found itself embroiled in the Pequot War in 1637, Williams played a pivotal role. He acted as a mediator, leveraging his relationships with the Narragansetts to keep them neutral, thus preventing a potentially devastating two-front conflict for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Though once a Puritan, Williams’s spiritual journey saw him baptized into the Baptist faith in 1639. However, his restless quest for understanding meant this association was short-lived, and he soon left the Baptist community, though retaining a strong belief in the individual’s right to choose their path to God.

Roger Williams passed from this mortal realm in early 1683, leaving behind a legacy that far surpassed the boundaries of the small colony he founded.

To the modern observer, Williams stands as a champion of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. His establishment of Rhode Island provided a refuge for all those persecuted for their beliefs, laying the groundwork for the broader religious freedoms enshrined in the United States Constitution. While a controversial figure in his day, history remembers Roger Williams as a visionary, whose beliefs were centuries ahead of his time.