Freedom of Religion

Paper Summary:

This paper uses the experiences of two historical figures in early America, Bartolome de las Casas and Anne Bradstreet, to reject the notion of the right to religious freedom in America. Bartoleme de las Casas, while more humane than other Spaniards of his time, still represented the dominant philosophy of Spain during early America, that religious freedom meant the freedom to convert others to one's own religion. Bradstreet is described as belonging to a community, typical of the Puritan era, that rejected the rights of others who chose to believe differently.

From the Paper:

"Bradstreet does not discuss the issue of freedom of religion in her poems but seems rather to live that freedom herself. She determines meaning by contemplation rather than by repeating lessons learned from some authority, for instance. She concentrates most on her family rather than on God and religious issues. She contrasts in this regard with Edwards, who gives all his concentration to religious matters and who judges everything in the community on the basis of how it accords with his religious beliefs."

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• Research Paper # 100118 : "Freedom of Religion"

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