Featured The Puritians

I don't know much about their history. The current interest in Puritans comes from a rediscovery of Puritan writings that were republished and started becoming popular in the 60's and then even more so in the past 30 years or so. I'm not sure whether they are responsible for the resurgence in Calvinism or if it's the other way around. I personally think their writings being of a serious and robust nature compared to the self help pablum that was popular struck a chord with a lot of Baptists. The modern surge in interest in Calvinism and Puritan writing is largely Baptist.

I have noticed a rapid moving away from the Puritan influence in the new Calvinist Baptist groups. I think it is too demanding for most modern people. The introspection of Puritanism modern people like but they have melded it into psychology and "Biblical Counseling" and are starting to roll that into church discipline and it's not working well.

We all live in our own little worlds but from what I see, it's Calvinistic Baptist churches that attempt in some way to emulate Puritan theology. John Piper models a lot of his theology after Jonathan Edwards and the Gospel Coalition freely puts out commentary on Puritan writings and openly recommends them.

 

Puritans were overbearingly patriarchal (male dominated).

There was a general acceptance of slavery/bond servants, limited opportunities for women, and a general stagnation of social standards.

Rob

 

I think it was Alistair Begg that said that there was a Puritan pastor in Holland I think who discovered that in the wintertime he could ice skate to church on Sunday. The question came up as to whether it was right to be skating on the sabbath. After much discussion and consternation the church leaders decided it would be OK for him to do so - as long as he wasn't having any fun.

 

In all fairness, it was the 1600's.

 

What year were the Salem Witch trials?

 

February 1692 - May 1693.

 

My understanding is the Puritans were part of the Church of England during the reformation. They wanted to “purify” the Anglican Church from the influence of Roman Catholicism.

They were persecuted and eventually split and came to America to worship freely.

peace to you

 

Right. The Anglicans had a hybrid system of worship that retained a lot of Roman Catholicism. The Puritans wanted more of a reformation. Some stayed in the Anglican church, some left. The Anglicans insisted you do it their way down to what the pastor wore and the prayers you read. And they were serious. Some people were executed for preaching Separatism. Eventually all the Puritans were ejected from the Church of England. Some went to continental Europe and came back later. Some went to Holland and then came to America.

They did come to America to worship freely but they were not interested in freedom of worship as a principle.

 

All I can say after studying various types of religion over the years... Religion is such a bloody mess... Brother Glen

 

Correction. A lot of the Puritan churches became Unitarian early on. Most of those that didn't, eventually joined UCC.

UCC liberal?
well, 9Mark Dever, now SBC at DC's 'Capitol Hill Baptist Church', was with the UCC as a young minister, and before that PC(USA)!

NACCC and CCCC conservative?
Salty, please peruse each group's leadership team (women pastors?!)

NACCC - Our Leadership Council

Officers and Staff - CCCC

 

Interesting Jerome, tell me more. Specifically theCongregational Churches. I fear they have gone the way of the modern churches or worse.