No, the figure memorialized in this statue was not
one of the Pilgrims. In fact, Massachusetts in the early colonial era made
certain that this man they regarded as a troublemaker wherever he went was not welcome.
But were it not for Roger Williams (1603-1683), you and I might not be here in the
United States to celebrate Thanksgiving. I use the phrase “you and I” in the
broadest possible way—Protestant, Catholic, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu,
nonbeliever.
The city of Providence, R.I., which I visited last
month, commemorated the unconventional preacher who founded their city in 1636 as
a haven for religious freedom, even for those sects with which he profoundly disagreed.
In this 14-ft.-high statue in Prospect Terrace Park, the American theologian behind the concept of state noninterference with religious practices stands atop a hill overlooking what he could never imagine, a modern metropolis, with his right hand extended in blessing. It was a dramatic vista that mid-to-late afternoon when I visited, begging to be photographed--and I did.
In this 14-ft.-high statue in Prospect Terrace Park, the American theologian behind the concept of state noninterference with religious practices stands atop a hill overlooking what he could never imagine, a modern metropolis, with his right hand extended in blessing. It was a dramatic vista that mid-to-late afternoon when I visited, begging to be photographed--and I did.
This year, the world remains convulsed and in tragic
disarray because people of different spiritual beliefs are not tolerated by
those who control their nations. Despite all its clear imperfections, thank God
that is not the case in the United States. Today, let's thank God, in addition for many other blessings, Roger Williams for helping to secure a peaceful place for religions of all kinds here.
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