Faith and Boundaries: Colonists, Christianity, and Community Among the Wampanoag Indians of Martha's Vineyard, 1600 1871

Cambridge Studies in North American Indian History

by David J. Silverman

This book examines how the Wamapanoag Indians' adoption of Christianity and other selective borrowing from English culture contributed to Indian/English coexistence and the long-term survival of Wamapanoag communities on the island of Martha's Vineyard, even as the racial barrier between peoples grew more rigid. On an island marked by centralized English authority, missionary commitment, and an Indian majority, the Wampanoags' adaptation to English culture, especially Christianity, checked violence while safeguarding their land, community, and ironically, even customs. Yet the colonists' exploitation of Indian land and labor exposed the limits of Christian fellowship and thus hardened racial division.

Genres: History, Native American History, Native American, Religion

328 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2005

About the author

David J. Silverman is Professor of History at George Washington University. He is the author of the award-winning This Land is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and Troubled History of Thanksgiving (Bloomsbury, 2019), as well as Thundersticks, Ninigret, Red Brethren, and Faith and Boundaries. His essays have appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Washington Post, National Geographic, and the Daily Beast. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me... This book is a bit to wade through, but it challenges the colonial-indigenous narrative on a few key points that make it worthwhile. 1) The most important of these is that Protestant Christianity was forced on all natives with little variance - Silverman aptly demonstrates that the Wampanoag Indians of Martha's Vineyard instead "Indigenized Christianity" by making it the center of their community and in doing so saved their core beliefs. This may be one of the only examples where natives devout practice of Christianity, though questioned by whites, actually helped save their communities. 2) Silverman also demonstrates the limits of Christian tolerance when it came to other races. European Christians saw their faith as a way to unify diverse peoples, but when push came to shove they didn't want to be *that* unified with darker skinned persons, and thus turned to racism and racist practices as a way to drive a wedge between white Christians and "other" Christians. Settlers made divisions about race and ethnicity rather than religion.

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book. I really enjoyed it. The author mixes good historical stuff with a nice writing style. What makes this book interesting is to compare this mission ran by Thomas Mayhew with his contemporary the famous John Eliot's and his work in the "Praying Towns" around Boston. Silverman brings out some notable differences between the different styles that the mission was operated. In general, Mayhew's approach in Martha's Vinyard was less rigid, more democratic, isolated from disease, and lots of wars, and Mayhew had an emphasis on spiritual warfare against the shamans. Amazingly the church at Martha's vineyard is still going. Great book and very enjoyable to read.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silverman merits praise for having done many things well in writing Faith and Boundaries. First, he reviewed countless primary and secondary sources. While there is no bibliography, the extensive footnotes in each chapter provide enough information about his sources for a reader to follow up on if desired.

Second, he assimilated and organized the information he gathered into a comprehensive presentation of the many ways in which the English Americans and the Wampanoag tribe interacted with each other on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. The social, cultural, political, and religious dynamics of their complex relationships were described in great and textured detail from the time of first contact in the early 1600’s up until almost the end of the 19th century. For example, he explained how and why some villages of the Wampanoag adapted to and sustained their lives as Christians more effectively than others did.

Third, Silverman did some things to enhance the readability of the book. His prose was largely direct and straightforward. Inserting quotations in a timely way helped to clarify the points he was trying to make. A smattering of tables and graphs along with 2 appendices further elaborated on the issues he was discussing. Additionally, some reproductions of lithographs and a few portrait photos allowed me to visualize some of the people he presented.

Finally, there is a relatively brief but well constructed concluding chapter in which the author summarized his main points about the role which Christianity played in the lives of the Wampanoag . Included were some comparisons of their experiences versus that of other tribes in New England, the similarities and differences with French colonialism in what was to become Canada, and the lesser role that Christianity played in the other English colonies.

The only relative flaw with Faith is that its thoroughness made it slow going at times. All of the individuals presented made it a challenge to recall. Overall, however, I recommend it for anyone interested in a history of Native Americans which was different in two important ways than that of most other tribes. More specifically, the Wampanoag on Martha’s Vineyard never fought a war against the British or the Americans. And while they did lose land over the course of many years they were not forcibly removed from their homeland as was the case with other Native American nations by the 19th century.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative book on early American interactions with Wampanoag natives. Although the book is super narrowly tailored, it does a great job of painting a picture of the native people's conversion to (or struggle to resist) Christianity and colonialism. A couple of the chapters are a bit of a drag when discussing MV families and history. Best parts discussed the issues Natives had with understanding Christianity, for example, a major line in scripture details who will receive the "keys to heaven". Natives did not know what a key was. Little things like this were interesting to consider. I applaud Silverman's attention to detail.

[Ann Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great points, facts, and perspectives to demonstrate the ravages of colonialism, and shows how destructive the dominant religion was to the Native beliefs and close cultural ties to each other and the homeland. Demonstrates the rationale of forced faith and the numerous motives throughout, for the colonizer puritans' profits and land grabs.