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PURITANISM. The birth and development of a new religious movement. ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT. Puritanism = a protestant movement within the Church of England. It developed during XVI-XVII century.
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PURITANISM The birth and development of a new religious movement
ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT • Puritanism= a protestant movement within the Church of England. It developed during XVI-XVII century. • It was founded by some Marian after the accession of Elisabeth I,especially influenced by Calvinism • A movement againstthe corruption of the Catholic Church its ‘superstitious symbols: statues, stained-glass windows and sacerdotal vestment
It developed especially amongthe Middle Class and anti-royalists people • Utmost moment of supremacy whenPuritans came to power(1642)followingthe English Civil War
PURITANS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR • After the victory of the round-heads (anti-royalists), in the Civil War (1642) Puritanism became a powerful force • Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan, founded the Commonwealth (name based on the idea of Puritanism, which believed in common richness) bringing moral and religious changes in England Oliver Cromwell
After Cromwell’s death (1658) • restoration of monarchy • Puritans lost their power • great Persecutionof Puritans began Most Puritans took refuge in New England (USA) The «Mayflower», ship used by Puritans to escape persecutions
NEW TREND OF THOUGHTS • Main aim = purifying the church • Desire to reach salvation • The Bibleconsidered as God’s true law • Belief in the Parable of the Talents PURITANS • predicted austerity • entertainment considered immoral (theaters were closed in 1642) The Bible
PARABLE OF THE TALENTS The Parable of Talents is one of the well known parables Main points: • God gives talents to people • Everybody has to use talents correctly • He who is unable to bear talents will commit a sin as do poor people who cannot exploit them • He who is able to produce goods and wealth will improve his/her social condition and he/she will reach God’s blessing (reason why the Middle Class was mainly Puritan)
PURITANISM TODAY • As a result of persecution, Puritans left England and extablished mainly in the New World (USA) Puritanism = • based on the ideo of the increase of wealth, • layed the foundations of consumerism in USA • America became one of the most important world powers
PARABLE OF THE TALENTSParable of the Rich Man by Rembrant (1627)