Antinomian in the United States

Antinomian in the U.S. Legal History

Summary

Literally meaning against the laws of human governance. Antinomians believed that once they had earned saving grace, God would offer them direct revelation by which to order the steps of their lives. As such, human institutions, such as churches and government, were no longer necessary. Mainline Puritans believed Antinomianism would produce only social chaos and destroy the Bay Colony’s mission, so they repudiated and even exiled prominent persons like Anne Hutchinson, who advocated such doctrines.