A Model of Christian Charity

A Model of Christian Charity is the sermon John Winthrop delivered to Puritan colonists aboard the Arbella as they sailed toward Massachusetts in 1630. This foundational document of American history sets forth Winthrop's vision for the new colony as a covenanted community bound together by mutual love and accountability. Its image of the colony as "a city upon a hill" has echoed through American rhetoric ever since.

Winthrop begins by accepting social inequality as divinely ordained—some are rich, others poor; some in authority, others subject. Yet he argues that these differences exist not for exploitation but for the exercise of love. The rich are to show mercy and give generously; the poor are to receive graciously and labor diligently. All members of the community are bound to each other in a web of mutual obligation.

The central theme is that Christians must be "knit together" in bonds of brotherly affection. Winthrop calls for extraordinary generosity, even to the point of giving beyond what ordinary prudence might dictate. In times of necessity, the common good must take precedence over private interest. This vision of communal solidarity stands in sharp contrast to later American individualism.

The sermon's most famous passage describes the colony as "a city upon a hill" with "the eyes of all people upon us." This image, drawn from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, carries both promise and warning. If the colonists keep their covenant with God, they will be blessed and become an example to the world. If they fail, they will become a byword and open themselves to divine judgment.

Winthrop grounds his vision in covenant theology. The colonists have entered into a special agreement with God, promising to follow His ways in exchange for His blessing. This covenant is corporate—the whole community bears responsibility. Individual sin threatens collective welfare; communal faithfulness brings collective blessing.

For understanding American history, A Model of Christian Charity is essential reading. Its themes—exceptional calling, covenantal responsibility, communal obligation, and the watchful eyes of the world—have shaped American self-understanding in complex ways. Whether invoked to justify American exceptionalism or to call the nation to account, Winthrop's sermon remains a living document in American civic life.