Which colonial writers debated the relationship between government and religion?

In the context of 17th-century American literature, several colonial writers engaged in significant debates regarding the relationship between church and state. These discussions often centered on the nature of the "theocratic" ideal versus calls for religious tolerance and the separation of government from religious institutions.1

Key figures in these debates included:

• Nathaniel Ward: In his work The Simple Cobler of Aggawam in America (1647), Ward defended the status quo, advocating for the established religious order and criticizing those who sought to introduce new, radical ideas regarding governance.1
• John Winthrop: As governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Winthrop used his Journal to document and defend the colony's attempt to establish a theocracy, where civil laws were rooted in the Bible.1
• Increase and Cotton Mather: These prominent ministers were later defenders of the theocratic ideal, working to maintain the influence of the clergy within the colonial government.12
• Roger Williams: Representing a radical departure from the prevailing orthodoxy, Williams authored a series of pamphlets advocating for the complete separation of church and state, the tolerance of diverse religious beliefs, and the vesting of political power in the people.1
• William Bradford: Through his History of Plymouth Plantation, Bradford illustrated the perspective of the Separatists, who had broken entirely with the Anglican state church.1