I've noticed a resurgence over the past several decades towards the Puritans. I enjoy reading some Puritan writings, especially Puritan poetry.
I think among Reformed churches interest has grown as Reformed theology has been facing challenges. On the other side there is declining doctrine in mainstream churches.
I thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at the Puritans, starting with a very brief history of who these people were.
Puritanism was religious reform movement that has its beginnings in the mid 16th century. This was a movement within the Anglican Church with the goal to purify the Church of England from Roman Catholic popery that they viewed as having been carried over into the church. The Puritans believed that England was God’s elect nation to complete the work of the Reformation.
In the early 17th century Puritanism spread to America (a very short lived but large migration), establishing Plymouth Colony. Puritans believed that they were in a national covenant with God, charged with purifying the world by perfect obedience to God’s will. As such, Puritans believed that the State was an arm of God and was therefore empowered to use corporal punishment and execution to purge the world of any they viewed as heretics. From 1658 to 1692 Puritans executed Quakers and persecuted Baptists by imprisonment.
Puritanism ended as other denominations gained ground (Baptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians). There is not an exact date when Puritanism ended, but it had ended by 1740.
Puritan influences exist today, notably in the United Church of Christ and Congregational Churches (a Reformed Protestant denomination).
I think among Reformed churches interest has grown as Reformed theology has been facing challenges. On the other side there is declining doctrine in mainstream churches.
I thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at the Puritans, starting with a very brief history of who these people were.
Puritanism was religious reform movement that has its beginnings in the mid 16th century. This was a movement within the Anglican Church with the goal to purify the Church of England from Roman Catholic popery that they viewed as having been carried over into the church. The Puritans believed that England was God’s elect nation to complete the work of the Reformation.
In the early 17th century Puritanism spread to America (a very short lived but large migration), establishing Plymouth Colony. Puritans believed that they were in a national covenant with God, charged with purifying the world by perfect obedience to God’s will. As such, Puritans believed that the State was an arm of God and was therefore empowered to use corporal punishment and execution to purge the world of any they viewed as heretics. From 1658 to 1692 Puritans executed Quakers and persecuted Baptists by imprisonment.
Puritanism ended as other denominations gained ground (Baptists, Quakers, and Presbyterians). There is not an exact date when Puritanism ended, but it had ended by 1740.
Puritan influences exist today, notably in the United Church of Christ and Congregational Churches (a Reformed Protestant denomination).