In search of religious freedom a group of devout Christians sailed across the ocean only to come across a new land, radically different from the one they left behind. From the initial journey, to the formation of the colonies, and finally their complicated relationship with “non-believers” Puritans strongly held religious convictions has played a key role in all of this. The Puritans were a group of reformed Protestants seeking to reform the English Church. After the fall of the Roman Catholic Church, a new church was established “The English Anglican Church”. While most Puritans sought to reform the church others wanted nothing to do with it these Puritans would eventually be known as Separatists. The Separatists set sail on
Puritans and Pilgrims were members of the Church of England who in the 16th century began to protest against what they perceived as serious abuses by religious authorities. Both groups are part of Puritanism, an activist movement after the English Reformation which wanted to purify the Church of England by eradicating both corruption and remaining traces of Catholicism. Each group looked to Scriptures as their authority on religion. Although, the Puritans and the Pilgrims shared a common history, and beliefs there are differences that separated them, such as why they left England, their aspirations of the New World and how they governed their colonies.
In July of 1620 a ship carrying hundreds of puritan pilgrims set sail from England to where these fugitives believed was their Promised Land, The Americas; Another voyage similarly left Africa in approximately 1756 heading to the lands of America but for a very different purpose. Although, this ship was carrying likewise hundreds of people, or what was considered property at the time, overseas it brought these peoples to a land and life very opposite of what the Puritans were seeking. Puritans and Slaves may be very different people in general, but their reasons for their voyages, the conditions of their ships, and the characteristics a passenger would need to survive these arduous journeys oversea are easily compared and contrasted. In the 1600’s religious persecution faced anyone who did not identify with the Church of England, a christian church implemented throughout the
Salem, in the 1600’s was the town of the Puritans. Puritanism is a sect of Christianity that is extremely strict and set in its way. Due to the town being a theocracy of puritanism, it adopted a certain intolerance to anything that went against their beliefs. The puritan ideology was that everyone must completely devout their lives to their faith and nothing else.
In the Early 1600’s in England, King James I during his monarchy came across an issue of a divided Church of England with one of the religious groups known as the Puritans. The Puritans believed that the Church of England needed to be purified, and they wanted the Roman Catholic rituals to be terminated. The Puritans desired to simplify religion and they hoped that King James I would support the idea of “purifying” the church, but instead he wanted to remove Puritans from England. Many of the Puritans fled England to avoid religious persecution. The Puritans ideology is interesting because their colony survives and succeeds past all expectations to fail.
This newly evolved society was cause by the “Religious movement known as ‘Puritanism,’ which arose in England late in the sixteenth century” (Foner 64). Puritans did not refer to themselves as puritans but instead “‘godly’ or ‘true protestants’” (Foner 64). They started this movement because they felt that the protestant reformation was not doing enough and were simply not satisfied. It is commonly believed that Puritanism was “An important thread in the development of American civilization” (Int 25).
The Original Puritan vision of having of doing everything as a collective effort for the eyes of England, with almost no aspect of individualism, as seen with John Winthrop, morphed into the Puritans displaying “The Other” theme through King Phillip’s war and finding an enemy and try to define themselves, away from the church, and also there is change with the Nature theme and the Salem Witch Trials which shows the Puritan Dilemma and how it secularized the second and third generation Puritans. Firstly, the original Puritan Errand had little individualism and called for a collective effort for their society to be an example for England. In John Winthrop’s, A Model of Christian Charity, he explains how the Puritans’ original goal is to be a
After the Puritan Religion was formed and split off from the Church of England, they could not fully escape all the “unholy” practices of the Church of England. This led to many different families leaving England to go to America. “The fact that the Puritans had left England to escape religious persecution did not mean that they believed in religious tolerance. Their society was a theocracy that governed every aspect of their lives” (Baracskay). The idea of a theocracy is extremely dangerous because it creates a system without balance.
The Puritans were a strong unified religious community that centered their lives and their community on a specific set of beliefs. They believed that life was a test and those who passed this test would not only be successful, but also be delivered to holy blessedness all their lives and in the next. On the other hand, those who failed this test would face the consequences of a life damned by the devil. Notably in addition to that belief, they were God’s advocates and God’s law were their political laws. One specific facet of the Puritan belief system discussed in this paper is religious exclusiveness.
From this week’s reading, people should follow the thinking of Puritan in early America. There is the first starting for Puritan who live in the new land. Towards Puritan, they are not moderating and peaceful religions in the middle ages. Puritan try to find reformation inside a new creation of religion. In the initial period, Puritan thinks that sinful nature lives in each persons’ heart.
The article “The Godly Family of Colonial Massachusetts” states that the Puritans never considered family life a private affair. Instead they considered family life part of a larger political/economic and social/cultural world. The Puritans attempted to further their economic and political statuses through marriage. For example, they tried to marry into influential or wealthy families. They also used marriage as a way to keep the family trade or craft, in the family.
In today’s society, men and women are so obsessed with spending money, gambling, it’s an addiction. This addiction tears families apart. A vicious addiction that will leave victims ‘out in the dark,’ so to speak. Men and women frown upon this, as well as the Puritan group. This goes against moral beliefs and religion.
In New England, there was no such thing as religious tolerance. Everyone was required to be part of the Church of England whether they believed or not. This led to a disagreement among those who believed that those who were not “visible saints” should not be allowed to worship in the same place as those who were. These colonists were referred to as the Separatists because they eventually separated from the Church of England. Those who chose to stay with the church were called Puritans, although that term could technically be used to describe both.
The Protestant Reformation brought to light a group of individuals in England who fused their religious views with political ideas of freedom. With these views in mind, these people, called Puritans, felt that their liberties were God-given rights and that when their rights were threatened or limited, they were insulting God himself. The colonies in Northern America such as those founded by the Puritans in Plymouth Rock, or for followers of all religions in Rhode Island, were made possible by the endless pursuit of free practicing religion. On Plymouth Rock, in 1620, arrived a small group of especially devout Puritans, Separatists, motivated by the King James I to leave the Church of England as well as the land.
The Puritans of New England in the mid 1600s lived a harsh reality. The Puritans were Christians of Calvinist thought. What is significant about this was the Calvinist belief of pre-destination. Heaven was a lottery where only a few who lived pious lives were granted the gift of being saved from God’s wrath. This means even those who are good could still go to hell.
These two groups originated from the Anglican Church of England. A movement that took place after the English Reformation, known as the Puritanism, advocated strict religious disciplines, religious rituals, the belief of salvation, and Christ as the center of faith. Between the two, the Puritans were the original group who sought the return of a simple and virtual Christianity. The Pilgrims were Separatists who were once Puritans, but were discontent at reforms.