Roger Williams and society as a Ship
The founder of Rhode Island in North America, Roger Williams, sometimes compared society to a ship, with many different people on board:
"It happened sometimes, that both papists (Catholics) and Protestants, Jews and Turks (Muslims) may be embarked on one ship; in that case I affirm, that all the liberty of conscience, that ever I pleaded for, turns upon these two things – that none of the papists, Protestants, Jews, or Turks, be forced to come to the ship's prayers of worship, nor compelled from their own particular prayers or worship, if they practice any. I further add, that I never denied, that notwithstanding this liberty, the commander of this ship ought to command the ship's course, yea, and also command that justice, peace and sobriety, be kept and practiced, both among the seamen and all the passengers. If any of the seamen refuse to perform their services, or passengers to pay their freight; if any refuse to help, in person or purse, towards the common charges or defense; if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the ship, concerning their common peace or preservation; if any shall mutiny and rise up against their commanders and officers; if any should preach or write that there ought to be no commanders or officers, because all are equal in Christ, therefore no masters nor officers, no laws nor orders, nor corrections nor punishments; – I say, I never denied, but in such cases, whatever is pretended, the commander or commanders may judge, resist, compel and punish such transgressors, according to their deserts and merits."
The most revolutionary of his ideas, however, was that the head of society – the captain of the ship – did not need to be Christian:
"a pagan or anti-Christian pilot may be as skillful to carry the ship to its desired port as any Christian mariner or pilot in the world, and many perform that work with as much safety and speed",
He observed. Elsewhere in colonial America and Europe, people believed that the head of society needed to be a Christian and that all had to follow that religion.
The text is from Roger Williams, who founded the state of Rhode Island, today one of the 50 states of the US. In the seventeenth century, though, North America was colonised by Europeans, including the British. Williams’ ideas were quite revolutionary at the time: he argued for religious freedom and the separation of church and state at a time when, in all other states in Christian Europe, there existed a close relationship between the two. It was inconceivable that the head of state were not a Christian and promoter of Christianity. People of other faiths, such as Jews or Muslims, were either persecuted or could only practice their belief under certain conditions, and they could not become civil servants or magistrates. Likewise in the Muslim world the head of state needed to be a Muslim, although more toleration existed towards Christians and Jews. All this was different in Rhode Island, as the head of state and the administration were independent from any religion, and all religions and beliefs (also atheists) were granted freedom of expression.
Do you believe everyone in society should share the same beliefs, or should individuals have the freedom to practice their own beliefs? Would you support the "old European" approach, or do you lean more toward the Rhode Island model of religious freedom? For instance, what do you think Roger Williams would have said about the ban on women wearing headscarves in public service (a policy enforced in countries like France and Belgium, but permitted in the UK)?
Further information about Roger Williams can be found at On Site, In Time.
For more information on this and other peace treaties, see