puritanism

puritanism

• set of attitudes (dealing with inner and outer worlds)

• refers to Calvinistic Protestants from Europe during 1530-1800 (1600s)

characteristics

• trust in absolute nature of one’s beliefs: rarely doubt

• desire to act upon or manifest, usually socially, their beliefs: want to make their opinions law

• intolerance of divergence: practice differently

• extremism in positive and negative responses: idolize heroes - destroy enemies

• symbolize and substitute style for substance: saluting flag means proof of patriotism

puritan origins

• believed church needed to be “purified”

• holland (not subject to persecution) > mayflower > massachusetts

• massachusetts bay colony > new world

puritan religion

• old and new testaments = literal

• terrified of god’s vengeance: sin is threat to salvation

• skipped church = fined 5 shillings

• pleasure is a wile of Satan

• poverty showed lack of enterprise

• deeds done for lord and confession of serious sins were publicly displayed

reasons for excommunication

• unfaithfulness in master’s service

• admitting card playing in his house

• sloth in business

• being overtaken in beer

• borrowing a tool and not returning it

• jumping for wagers

• dancing and other vanities

where did puritans take their doctrine from?

calvin’s predestination

• people were either condemned to Hell by God before death or few “elected” to salvation

• outward virture and industry confirms going to heaven (God’s grace could be withdrawn)

• someone is either good or evil

puritan government

• theocracy

• popular party = trade people

• moderates = rural

salem witch trials was a strong argument for…

separation of church and state in America

living in puritan salem

• purity and simplicity

• all aspects of life became an exercise in function

where they lived

• wigwams to half timber medieval house

• roof covered with clapboard

• not more than 20 feet

• two stories

• “set the table”

where they worshipped

• meeting house

• oak, barn-like appearance

• served as courthouse and school

what they wore

• dark colors bc black was expensive dye

• men: overcoat (cloaks), shirt w/ collar and removable cuffs

• women: corset, red skirt in winter, apron, linen kerchief, hair in bun or covered

• both: stockings, leather gloves

• showed status and prosperity

salem witch trials: beginnings

• reverend had servant who taught his daughter and her cousin witcraft

• Betty Parris = outburts > doctor found no natural cause > searched for unnatural causes

first three warrants for salem witch trials

• reverend’s servant: Tituba

• Sarah Good: smoked a pipe and begged

• Sarah Osborne: failed to attend church regularly

salem witch trials: the end

• 19 hanged as witches

• person pressed to death

• two dogs hanged

• 55 confessed and in jail or died at future date

• in early 1700s, descendants of hanged were paid

5 things in all healthy religions

• gives meaning to life

• worships the ultimate source of goodness

• meets the needs of all human beings

• promotes mental, physical, and emotional health

• values love, courage, humility, purity, justice, and service to others more than doctrinal creeds, personal piety, and institutional self-preservation

religions that were seen as enemies

• catholics

• methodists

• baptists

• quakers

three reformers

martin luther

• 95 theses

  • every man was his own priest

  • men should be or are justified before God by inner faith - not by good works or any outward show of virtue

zwingli

• Switzerland

• killed in fight between Catholics and protestants

john calvin

• geneva

out of the reformers and (certain event) came the puritans. what was the certain event?

henry viii creating the church of england and making himself the head

location of first congregational (puritan) church

• london (southwark)

two branches of puritanism

• separatists (create separate church from church of england)

• non-separatists (reform protestant church)

persecution: not allowed to do under henry viii

• other religions seen as outlaws

• not allowed to congregate freely

• ministers imprisoned for disobedience

• members subject to arrest

english monarchy gave what to puritans (to get rid of them)? (second puritan move - first was in Virginia and they died)

• charter to make settlement in english colonies (had economic incentives)

• Mayflower

• plymouth, massachusetts

second puritan move: massachusetts bay colony

• non-separatists

• moved company from england to massachusetts (boston)

• arrested royal governor (after navigation acts) and sent him back to england

puritans held absolute power in new england for how long?

eighty years

systems/influences of puritanism

• breaking away from english control

• development of education

• development of sea trade

• urban business

• farming

• manufacturing

• present political system (fixed dates for reelection)

reasons puritanism came apart

• new charter lessened political power

• citizens saw clergy as tyrannical and elitist

• prosperity with trade made congregations lessen puritanism’s spiritual sway

• people who moved west felt freedom from puritan oppression

(two words) has become the new aristocracy

old age

the puritan government and puritan religion are…

virtually inseparable

both magistrates and ministers hold…

absolute power

course of puritanism compares to sterotypical transformation where (youth to old)…

rebellious against authority in youth becomes authoritarian in old age

“every man his own priest”

every individual is allowed to read and interpret scripture

adornments in church and holy statuary were seen as…

deceptive idols

the first covenant (contract between God and Adam and Eve)

• god provides paradise (garden of eden)

• adam and eve give god praise and obedience (no eating from tree of knowledge of good and evil)

• they eat forbidden fruit

• god punishes > humans now born evil the moment of conception

reality (in puritan terms)

• capable of every sin under surface

• lays hidden beneath human nature/character

second covenant and elect

• between jesus and god on man’s behalf that few are saved

• elect = selected by god who are saved

• puritans believe even elect have corrupt natures and they as a whole were the elected

• cannot secure election

even though you cannot see elected, what features show they are one?

• good, godly, pious

• god seemed to be good to him or her

religious experience

• if elected, need it to make it good

• members not sure then religious experience allows them to go to heaven

• even if not member then religious experience makes god less angry - less suffering

puritans believed god punished them as…

a whole for even the slightest provocation - they punished members for moral infractions to show god the community didn’t tolerate it and not to punish them as a whole for one person

edward taylor: huswifery

• conceit

• he is the spiining wheel (wants god to use him)

• compares himself to different parts of the spinning wheel

• in the end, wants to be so valuable to god that he is in robes when ready for eternal life

edward taylor: the preface to god’s determinations

• asks god what tools he used to create the universe

• bowling alley: the sun

anne bradstreet: upon the burning of our house

• rhyming couplets

• knows god did it for a reason

anne bradstreet: to my dear and loving husband

• women cannot compare because she has the best husband

• hopes he is blessed in many ways

• knows their love will continue in their spiritual path

jonathan edwards: sinners in the hands of an angry god

• puritan preacher

• trying to make audience scared and see their depravity