Roger Williams

English Baptist theologian and author (1603–1683)

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Lived 1603–1683, aged 80United Kingdom

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30 languages
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Era
1603–1683
Aged 80

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

He was kicked out of Puritan Massachusetts for insisting the state had no business enforcing belief. So in 1636 he founded Rhode Island as the first government in the Western world to guarantee religious freedom — a principle that became the spine of the First Amendment.

Biography

About

Born around 1603 in England, Williams arrived in New England as a Puritan minister but soon questioned whether civil authorities could compel religious conformity. The Massachusetts Bay Colony expelled him for it. In 1636 he established Providence Plantations as a refuge offering "liberty of conscience," codifying religious freedom in its charter before any other Western government had done so. He briefly joined the Baptists, founding the First Baptist Church in America in 1638, then left organized religion altogether to become a "seeker." He studied Native American languages and published the…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Roger Williams

Roger Williams

said1652

Tis true, those glorious first ministeriall gifts are ceased, and that's or should be the lamentation of all Saints...

— Online text

Roger Williams

said1652

I observe the great and wonderful mistake, both our own and our fathers, as to the civil powers of this world, acting in spiritual matters.

— Online text

Roger Williams

said1652

The first grand design of Christ Jesus is to destroy and consume His mortal enemy antichrist. This must be done by the breath of His mouth in His prophets and witnesses.

— Online text

Roger Williams

said1652