WhenEnglishcolonizerslandedinNewEnglandin1630,theyconstructedagodlycommonwealthaccordingtopreceptsgleanedfromScripture.Forthese’Puritan’Christians,religionbothprovidedthecenteranddefinedthemarginsofexistence.WhilesomePuritanswerecalledtoexercisepowerasmagistratesandministers,andmanymoreashusbandsandfathers,womenwereuniversallycalledtosubjectthemselvestotheauthorityofothers.TheirGodwasaGodoforder,andoutoftheirreligiousconvictionsandexperiencesPuritanleadersfoundadivinemandateforafirm,clearhierarchy.Yetnotallliveswereoverwhelmed;otherreligiousvoicesmadethemselvesheard,andinspiredvoicesthatdefiedthathierarchy.Giftedwithanextraordinarymind,anintensespiritualpassion,andanawesomecharisma,AnneHutchinsonarrivedinMassachusettsin1634andestablishedherselfasaleaderofwomen.Sheheldprivatereligiousmeetingsinherhomeandlaterbegantodeliverherownsermons.Sheinspiredalargenumberofdiscipleswhochallengedthecolony’spolitical,social,andideologicalfoundations,andscarcelythreeyearsafterherarrival,Hutchinsonwasrecognizedastheprimarydisrupterofconsensusandorder--shewasthenbanishedasaheretic.AnneHutchinson,deeplycenteredinherspirituality,heardinthewordofGodanimperativetoignoreandmovebeyondthesociallyprescribedboundariesplacedaroundwomen.ThePassionofAnneHutchinsonexaminesissuesofgender,patriarchalorder,andempowermentinPuritansocietythroughthestoryofawomanwhosoughttopreach,inspire,anddisrupt.
