內容簡介
內容簡介 John Rogers and the Rogerenes is the story of unforeseen consequences of thetransatlantic trade. John Rogers and his brother, James, were wealthy New Londonmerchants who traded in more than just goods. They benefited from the exchangeof cultures, languages, and even religions. Indeed, those influences led JohnRogers to abandon Congregationalism and create America's first indigenous sectbased solely on the Bible.As a dissenting group, John Rogers and his Rogerene followers leveraged the Bibleand oftentimes outlandish acts of protest to challenge the legitimacy of Connecticut'sestablished church and its theocratic stranglehold on the everyday lives of citizens.In doing so, the Rogerene sect was an outcome of what one historian has called therough-and-tumble life of a colonial port town, New London. Their rich and variedstory stands in stark contrast to Connecticut's traditional reputation as the Land ofSteady Habits. The only thing steady about the Rogerenes was their unwavering faithin the Word and their willingness to suffer persecution for their nonconformist faith.Beyond their colorful history, the Rogerenes have much to teach us through their influences on such varied subjects as the separation of church and state, polygamy, faithhealing, the importance of individualism, and the rights of the marginalized.
