Conversion narrative facts for kids

A conversion narrative is a personal story about a big change in someone's life, usually a religious one. In early American history, especially in New England from about 1630 to the late 1700s, these stories were very important to the Puritan people. They were a key part of both their religious and everyday lives.

What is a Conversion Narrative?

A conversion narrative was a special kind of story. It was a personal account of someone's religious journey. People would share these stories out loud. They would tell them to everyone in their church. This was done before someone could become a full member of the church.

Historians like Patricia Caldwell explain this. She said it was a "testimony of personal religious experience." It showed that the person was truly religious. Another historian, Edmund S. Morgan, described the typical steps in these stories. These steps included gaining knowledge, feeling strong belief, having faith, facing struggles, and finally feeling sure about their faith.

Conversion Narratives in Puritan New England

Conversion narratives were a special part of the Puritan churches in Massachusetts. These stories showed how much the Puritans believed in "faith" as the main part of their church. They wanted to make sure that everyone who joined truly had faith. So, they used these stories as a way to check new members.

This idea of requiring a personal story for church membership was very important. It changed who could join the church. It also changed who could be a "freeman." In Puritan times, a freeman was someone who could vote and take part in the government. Only church members could be freemen.

In 1636, the General Court (their government) made this a law. This meant that the new system for church membership was fully set up. It was also connected to the government.

A very important person in making these stories a requirement was John Cotton. He helped shape how these conversion narratives were used in the New England Puritan churches.