New England Puritanism

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the impact that the Puritans made on their surrounding society and visa versa. The writer states that, throughout their long history in New England, the Puritans were always laying the foundations of the commonwealth and were religiously preserving their faith and polity from unorthodox contamination. It explains that, aside from their religious lives, the Puritans also widened the area of supply and increased the agricultural output for purposes of export into all parts of the north Atlantic world while raising the standard of living beyond the dreams of their early immigrant forefathers.

From the Paper:

"In regard to religion, the Puritans were convinced that all forms of church polity and social conduct which had no scriptural sanction were sinful and not to be ignored. To them, the passages of the Holy Bible, as they were interpreted without regard to time, place or origin, were God's positive command and were an all-sufficient authority for life's purposes. Life was not a progress but a state of preparation for the life beyond and the things of the earth that were worldly were rejected, not to mention that the Puritans sought only those things which the Holy Bible demonstrated as being pleasing in the sight of God. Beauty, pleasure and the indulgences of the flesh, even if moderately enjoyed, were harmful to the soul. Righteousness was obedience to God's inscrutable will which the individual was always in direct communication. In essence, "Puritanism was the reawakened temper of early Christianity." 8 "

More papers on New England Puritanism:

• Essay # 47618 : "Sin in New England"
• Term Paper # 122931 : "Chesapeake and New England Settlement"
• Analytical Essay # 130991 : "John Josselyn's "Two Voyages to New England"

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