John Robinson (l. 1576-1625 CE) was the pastor of the Leiden congregation of separatists, some of whom made up the party (later known as pilgrims) who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 CE to establish the Plymouth Colony in North America. Robinson was a former Anglican theologian, educated at Cambridge, who became convinced that the Anglican Church was corrupt and at first embraced the Puritan efforts at reform prior to abandoning them and becoming a separatist, advocating for separation from the church and the establishment of individual congregations.
More about: John RobinsonDefinition
Timeline
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1576 - 1625Life of John Robinson, pastor of the Leiden congregation and spiritual mentor of the Plymouth Colony.
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1592 - 1596John Robinson is enrolled at Cambridge University as a student of theology.
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c. 1598 - c. 1604John Robinson serves as an Anglican priest before embracing separatism and leaving the church.
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1606John Robinson joins the separatist congregation at Scrooby, England.
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1607 - 1608John Robinson leads the Scrooby congregation to relocate in Leiden, Netherlands.
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1608 - 1625John Robinson serves as pastor of the Leiden congregation in the Netherlands; encourages members to voyage to the New World to establish a colony.
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Jul 1620John Robinson delivers the farewell sermon to the members of his congregation leaving for North America.
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1621 - 1625John Robinson serves as long-distance spiritual mentor to the Plymouth Colony until his death.
