This book examines how biblical interpretation promoted both
violent persecution and religious liberty in colonial America.
Frequently, the Bible was a violent force in Puritan New England,
where ministers and magistrates used biblical passages to justify
the punishment of many religious radicals. Encouraged by the Bible,
Puritans whipped and imprisoned Baptists, banished a variety of
radicals from the Puritan colonies, and even sent Quakers to the
gallows. Among those banished was Roger Williams, the advocate of
religious liberty who also founded the colony of Rhode Island and
established the first Baptist church in America. Williams opposed
the Puritans' use of the Bible to persecute radicals who rejected
the state's established religion. In retaliation against the use of
scripture for violent purposes, Williams argued that religious
liberty was a biblical concept that offered the only means of
eliminating the religious wars and persecutions that plagued the
seventeenth century. Empowered by his interpretation of scripture,
Williams posed a serious challenge to a colonial society in which
the Bible was the paramount guide in every aspect of life, both
public and private.
As Byrd reveals, Williams's biblical case for religious liberty
was multifaceted. He drew from a wide range of scriptural texts and
wrestled with a variety of interpreters. By focusing on Williams's
biblical opposition to religious persecution, this book
demonstrates the importance of the Bible to violence, religious
liberty, and the relationship between church and state in early
American history. Included is a reference guide to Williams's
biblical interpretation which features the only biblical indices to
hispublished works, accompanied by rankings of his biblical
citations in various categories, including his most cited biblical
passages throughout his career.
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