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Roger Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 21, 1603 |
| Died | April 19, 1683 (aged 79) |
| Occupation(s) | minister, author |
| Spouse | Mary Barnard |
Roger Williams (December 21, 1603 – April 1, 1683) was an English-American Puritan, and a Calvinist-Baptist theologian. He was widely known as a supporter of religious toleration and separation of church and state. He also supported fair dealings with Native Americans. In 1644, he received a royal charter creating the colony of Rhode Island, named for the main island in Narragansett Bay. He is believed to have started the first or second Baptist church in the United States. He is known to have left the church soon afterwards, saying, "God is too large to be housed under one roof."[source?]