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Thomas Hooker
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Thomas Hooker (July 5, 1586 – July 7, 1647) was a prominent Puritan religious and colonial leader and the pre-eminent founder of the Colony of Connecticut. He was known as a great speaker and a leader of universal Christian suffrage. Hooker also had a role in Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, one of the world's first written constitutions.
Life
Thomas Hooker was born in Marefield, Leicestershire. He received his Bachelors of Arts from Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1608, continuing there to earn his Masters of Arts in 1611.
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Encyclopedia
Thomas Hooker (July 5, 1586 – July 7, 1647) was a prominent Puritan religious and colonial leader and the pre-eminent founder of the Colony of Connecticut. He was known as a great speaker and a leader of universal Christian suffrage. Hooker also had a role in Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, one of the world's first written constitutions.
Life
Thomas Hooker was born in Marefield, Leicestershire. He received his Bachelors of Arts from Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1608, continuing there to earn his Masters of Arts in 1611. He stayed at Emmanuel as a fellow for a few years. After his stay at Emmanuel, Hooker preached at the Esher parish, where he garnered a reputation as an excellent speaker.
Around 1626, Hooker became a lecturer at the Chelmsford Cathedral. However, in 1629 Archbishop William Laud suppressed church lecturers, and Hooker was forced to retire to Little Baddow. Eventually, his Puritan leadership brought him a summons to the Court of High Commission. Forfeiting his bond, Hooker fled to Rotterdam, Holland, and from there immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony aboard the Griffin.
In Massachusetts Bay Colony, Hooker became the pastor of the church at Newetowne, now Cambridge, where his parish became known as "Mr. Hooker's Company". Discontented with the suppression of Puritan suffrage and at odds with the colony leadership, Hooker led a group of about 100 who, in 1636, founded Hartford, Connecticut and led to the founding of the Connecticut Colony. Hooker became even more active in politics in Connecticut, helping to draft the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut in 1639, considered by some historians the first written constitution in the western tradition. He also participated in negotiations which led to the New England Confederation. Hooker remained the leader of the Hartford church until his death in 1647.
Views
Thomas Hooker strongly advocated extended suffrage to include Puritan worshipers, a view which would lead him and his followers to colonize Connecticut. He also promoted the concept of a government that must answer to the people, stating: "they who have the power to appoint officers and magistrates, it is in their power, also, to set the bounds and limitations of the power and place unto which they call them" through "the privilege of election, which belongs to the people according to the blessed will and law of God". Thomas Hooker also argued greater religious tolerance towards all Christian sects.
Hooker defended the calling of synods by magistrates, and attended a convention of ministers in Boston whose purpose was to defend Congregationalism. He later published A Survey of the Summed of Church-Discipline in defense of Congregationalism and applied its principles to politics and government.
Thomas Hooker was a strong leader of the contrition doctrine and believed that much of God's favor needed to be re-earned by men. To Hooker, sin was the most crafty of enemies, defeating grace on most occasions, and disagreed with many of the predecessor theologies of Free Grace theology, preferring a more muted view on the subject, instead focusing more on heavenly preparation and following the moralist character.
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