Puritanism

1. Puritanism Life in the New World 1620-1800

2. Puritans • Came from England as Pilgrims to escape religious persecution, circa 1620 • Highly, highly (no, really—HIGHLY) religious people—think zealots and extremists

3. Identity TODAY Today, many people believe individual identity is shaped by environmental factors, such as • Culture • Family • Friends • Education • Geography • Personal beliefs

4. Puritanical Identity However, Puritans believed that every aspect was controlled and determined by God • Emotions • Thoughts • Desires • Behaviors • Inclinations • Intuition • Abilities

5. Puritanical Identity All abilities, skills, words, and actions were to be directed for God’s service and glorification • Speakers - Ministers • Scholars - Theologians • Carpenters - Church builders • Parents - Home missionaries • Teachers - Christian instruction • Artists - Christian Painters • Song writers - Hymn writers

6. Puritanical Identity • Puritans searched themselves and examined their lives for evidence of God’s grace • Looked for proof that they were going to heaven

7. Core Beliefs • Absolute sovereignty of God • Complete dependence on divine grace for salvation • Stressed the importance of a personal religious experience* *but would harshly judge those who did not publicly attend church

8. Puritanical Society • Commonwealth officials insisted that they were God’s elect (Divine Right of Kings) • National affairs were conducted according to God’s will, as interpreted from the Bible

9. Puritanical Society The Bible was Law

10. Puritanical Society • No division between Church and State • Church had direct and EXCLUSIVE control over all colonial actions

11. Puritanical Society CHURCH | STATE

12. Puritanical Society CHURCH + STATE

13. Puritanical Society CHURCH = STATE

14. Puritanical Society • Believed that God sanctioned the solidarity of society • That is, they believed it God’s will for Puritans be separated from non-Puritans • This is argument for class systems/segregation

15. Puritanical Literature • All writing must be purposeful and benefit the society or families • Literature was NOT intended for mere enjoyment

16. Puritanical Literature • Explanation of Biblical texts • Sermons • Application to life in the colony • How-to manuals

17. Puritanical Literature • Explanation of Biblical texts • Sermons • Application to life in the colony • How-to manuals

18. Puritanical Literature • Novels were NOT written • Not purposeful • Distracted people from work, responsibilities, and worship

19. Sermons • Fire and Brimstone • Meant to scare people to church • Preached of depravity/evil of men

20. Jonathan Edwards • Puritan minister • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

21. Hands of an Angry God Purpose: • Scare people toward holiness Themes: • Men are intrinsically evil • That they aren’t already in hell is the grace of God

22. Poetry • Anne Bradstreet, “Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House, June 1666” Purpose: • Record personal history • Denounce materialism • Glorify God

23. Burning of Our House • Anne Bradstreet, “Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House, June 1666” Themes: • Treasure lies in heaven • Triviality of material goods • Acceptance to God’s plan

24. Puritan Beliefs • Too many possessions/valuing possessions too much is a sin • Live a simple life • Women belonged in the house/married young

25. Puritan Work Ethic • Idle hands are the Devil’s playground • One must work hard to get to heaven • Men worked their jobs and maintained property (an overgrown field or unkempt farm was a sin)

26. Puritan Work Ethic • Hard work was necessary for happiness • Likening laziness/idleness to a sin and valuing hard work were ways to cope with/justify difficult lives

27. Puritan Work Ethic • Hard work leads to success (physically and spiritually) • This eventually leads to the concept of The American Dream

28. The American Dream Hard Work and Good Character leads to Success