Jonathan Mitchel
Jonathan Mitchel was a notable Puritan minister best recognized for his role in developing the Half-Way Covenant, a proposal aimed at addressing issues of religious participation in 17th-century New England. Born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, he emigrated to America with his family around the age of ten, fleeing religious intolerance. He graduated with an A.B. from Harvard and became one of the institution's early fellows. In 1650, he was ordained and took over as pastor of the Church of Cambridge, where he served for 18 years. Mitchel's influence extended beyond his ministry; he engaged in significant religious controversy with his former teacher, Henry Dunster, which ultimately fueled his interest in childhood baptism. His proposal for the Half-Way Covenant sought to allow the children of church members to be baptized, even if their parents were not communicants, but it was ultimately rejected by the Synod. Beyond his theological contributions, Mitchel was active in public affairs, including the drafting of a charter petition for the Massachusetts colony. His sermons and writings, which continued to reflect Puritan ideals, garnered respect and recognition, including a biographical chapter by Cotton Mather in his work, Magnalia Christi Americana. Mitchel remained a prominent figure in the Cambridge community until his passing.
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Jonathan Mitchel
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- Born: 1624
- Birthplace: Halifax, Yorkshire, England
- Died: July 9, 1668
Biography
Jonathan Mitchel, best known as a prominent Puritan minister responsible for the Half-Way Covenant, was born to a wealthy couple in Halifax, Yorkshire, England, Matthew and Susan Butterfield Michel. As Puritans, his parents fled the religious intolerance of England for America in the mid-1630’s, when Mitchel was about ten years old. Mitchel received an A.B. from Harvard for his studies in ministry, becoming one of the first fellows of Harvard two years after graduation in 1649. He became pastor to the Church of Cambridge after a series of circumstances brought him to the attention of that ministry just before the passing of the previous pastor. He remained in the position for eighteen years. Mitchel was ordained and married in 1650. His bride was Margaret Boradel, the young widow of the previous pastor, Thomas Shepard. As a tribute to Shepard, he edited and published a series of his sermons on a parable. The Mitchels had several children, but their daughter, Margaret, was the only one of them to raise a family.
Mitchel’s most noted work began to take shape when he entered into a religious controversy that pitted him against Henry Dunster, his old preceptor, the president of Harvard, and a staunch Anabaptist. The outcome was that Dunster lost his office, the men remained friends, and Mitchel developed an interest in childhood baptism. Thus when the 1662 Synod met to discuss relaxing some membership restrictions as a response to waning religious zeal, he introduced the Half-Way Covenant to allow the children of good standing with the church to be baptized, even though their parents may not be communicants. Although he swayed Increase Mather to his side, the proposal was struck down by the Synod.
Mitchel was a well-known and respected member of the Harvard, ecclesiastical, and public affairs communities. He received and delivered communion to one of the judges who condemned Charles I and his compatriot when they came to Cambridge after the restoration of the monarchy. Mitchel also was one of the two men appointed to draw up the colony’s charter petition for presentation to Charles II.
A few of his sermons, such as the Discourse of the Glory to Which God Hath Called Believers by Jesus Christ were published after his death. Cotton Mather was so impressed with Mitchel’s representation of Puritan ideals that he included a biographical chapter on him in Magnalia Christi Americana. Mitchel still served as minister to Cambridge when he died.