The Convict Pastor: Thomas James And The Puritan Roots Of Christian Nationalism
The East Hampton Library’s 2026 Tom Twomey Series continues at 5:30pm on Thursday, July 23 with “The Convict Pastor: Thomas James and The Puritan Roots of Christian Nationalism,” presented by Rev. Jon D. Rodriguez.
ABOUT THE TALK: The Rev. Thomas James: beloved minister of East Hampton’s first church—or Christian nationalist zealot? Between these extremes existed the man who came to the New World in search of religious freedom but found that freedom was not enough. Friendly with his indigenous neighbors and at odds with the colonial authorities, Thomas James’ vision of Christian Nationalism challenges us to reject the narrative we’ve received and reconsider the man whose faith defined a community and ultimately landed him behind bars.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER: The Rev. Jon D. Rodriguez is the Pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton. His love of history brought him to First Church, which was founded in 1648 as one of the oldest Presbyterian churches in the nation. When he isn’t serving the church, Jon is enrolled in a doctoral program through the University of Edinburgh and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary where his work focuses on the theology and worship of the Reformation.
MORE INFO: Free admission. Programs are presented in the library’s Baldwin Family Lecture Room. Advanced reservations are requested but not required. For additional event information and to reserve a seat, visit: TomTwomeySeries.org
The 2026 Tom Twomey Series is presented as a partnership between the East Hampton Library and the East Hampton Historical Society.
