Respecting Religion Best of: The myth of American 'chosenness' with Dr. Catherine Brekus
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Jan 22, 2026 
Dr. Catherine Brekus, Harvard Divinity School professor and historian of American religion, explores the myth of American chosenness. She traces its Puritan origins, links to conquest and slavery, and evolution into modern white Christian nationalism. The talk examines how religious language shaped politics, shifted into secular exceptionalism, and how various groups have contested or embraced the myth.
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Chosen Identity Carries Moral Burden
- John Winthrop framed the Puritans as a chosen people tasked with radical mutual care and public holiness.
- That chosenness also justified violence and land seizure against Indigenous peoples when applied without moral restraint.
The Pequot Massacre Example
- Dr. Catherine Brekus recounts the 1637 Pequot massacre as a direct outcome of Puritan claims to divine mandate.
- She notes captives were executed, enslaved, and prohibited from reclaiming their name or land.
Revolutionary Faith Shaped National Destiny
- Revolutionary-era leaders fused Christian typology with independence, casting colonists as a new Israel and Britain as Pharaoh.
- This religious framing helped transform political rebellion into a providential national destiny.
