ANNE
HUTCHINSON
Her “antinomianism”
(opposition to divine laws) and her verbal assaults on clergymen and magistrates
were seen as a threat to civil and religious harmony and brought her
admonishment, banishment, and excommunication
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- #1 – She believed that
the person of the Holy Ghost dwells in a “justified” person (one elected or
chosen for salvation by God)
- Thus, the elect were
joined in a personal union with God and were superior to those lacking “Inner
Light” (the Holy Ghost)
- Thus, she taught the
doctrine of the “Inner Light” – that the elect were in direct communication
with God and need not heed the laws of the church or the teaching of
clergymen, who might themselves be lacking in grace
- She believed in direct
divine revelations from God
NAAL /
Page 219
- #2 – She believed that
no “sanctification” (proper moral conduct) can help to “evidence” (reveal) to
us our “justification” (our election for salvation)
- Thus, good works are
not a sign of God’s favor
- Thus, justification
(election) is by faith alone and has nothing to do with either piety (devout
actions) or worldly success
- Other Puritans
believed that sanctification did help to evidence justification
NAAL /
Page 220
- She believed that
grace was a free gift from God and could not be earned by good deeds. She
argued that most ministers, other than Cotton, taught that individuals could
earn God’s grace by good conduct, a belief that conflicted with the doctrine
that God’s gift of grace was wholly free