For more than 200 years the work lay in manuscript, until the Massachusetts Historical Society published it in 1838, in a collection of documents in which it was preceded by a few poems just a cut above doggerel and followed by a short history of the US Postal Service. Throughout the 19th century, the speech remained little more than an antiquarian curiosity. Even in the early 20th century, when scholars began to take note of it, no one attributed to it any claim of divine special favor.
Andrew Delbanco, “Vexed and Troubled Englishmen,” Nation, 309:14 (2019)
In the passage above, Andrew Delbanco describes how John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity (1630) languished in obscurity for two centuries, and only became noteworthy in the mid-20th century United States. Why do you think the document rose to prominence when it did?
John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity was unknown for quite some time, it did not become noteworthy until the mid-20th century in the United States. Post World War II, the United States started to become a global superpower as they had military strength, economic dominance, and political influence. The American people saw the importance in spreading democracy and defending freedom, therefore they made it their special mission to do so. This connects to Winthrop’s idea of “city upon a hill.” It suggested how America had always been meant to be an example for the world and not just some powerful nation. Looking back to Winthrop, leads could make the claim America’s global leadership was not a new idea, instead it had existed since the country’s earliest days as they gave support to modern ideas about national purpose. The Cold War took this interpretation to another level as the U.S. saw itself in a moral rivalry with the Soviet Union. Many leaders used Winthrop’s words to show America as the “good” side in the battle with communism, emphasizing freedom and democracy as opposed to authority rule. Politicians and public figures used the sermon to present American leadership as righteous and not driven by power or profit, it made foreign policy seem principled instead of selfish. As a result, Winthrop’s words become a useful tool politically for justifying America’s role in the world.
At the same time, historians began to focus more on culture, religion, and ideas in early American history. They focused less on laws and institutions and more on how the Puritan values shaped the American identity. Winthrop’s sermon fit this new academic focus as it emphasized community, moral responsibility, and discipline. Many scholars and textbooks helped spread the sermon as well through college courses and public history, further showing how academic attention brought popular awareness to it. Highlighting the sermon as a foundational text helped shape discussions about what it meant to be American and where the country’s values came from.
Winthrop’s intention of the sermon was to warn that success depends on humility, justice, and mutual care, failing to do so would bring punishment. The “city upon a hill” was meant as a reminder of responsibility, not greatness. As time went on, modern readers focused on national success while ignoring this warning. Postwar, Americans wanted confidence and unity, encouraging this shift. As a result, the sermon became proof of American exceptionalism, emphasizing pride.