Puritan New England

Religion in America

Refuge in America

◦ Protestantism in danger?

◦ 30 Years’ War, 1618-1648

◦ La Rochelle, France

◦ Charles I and Laud

◦ Going to America

◦ Prophesied in Revelation

◦ The Great Migration: 1630-1642

◦ 15-20,000 immigrants

The “Bible Commonwealth”

◦ An ideal Christian society like Geneva

◦ The “City on a Hill”

◦ Bible as basis for law and morality

◦ Covenants

◦ Town covenants

◦ Covenant as a people

◦ Consensus

◦ An equitable, sustainable society

Congregationalism

◦ Congregational polity

◦ Church membership & conversion, 1636

◦ Church membership & franchise & public office

◦ No “human inventions”

◦ Printing press: Bay Psalm Book, 1640

◦ Harvard College, 1636

Puritan Life

◦ Family based; no living alone

◦ A “little commonwealth”

◦ Father rules the household

◦ Suppressing children’s wills

◦ Moderate enjoyment of life

◦ The work ethic: useful, productive, sober, industrious

◦ Controlling dissent, establishing authority

◦ Roger Williams

◦ Anne Hutchinson and the antinomian controversy

Puritans and Indians

◦ Indians

◦ “Come over and help us”?

◦ Minions of Satan?

◦ The Pequot War, 1636

◦ Exterminating a “proud” and “haughty” tribe

◦ John Eliot & Praying Towns, 1649

◦ Never completely accepted