Puritans Beliefs and Religion

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Puritans Beliefs and Religion

The puritans existed as a group of individuals who developed discontent by the mode of operation of the Church of England hence they functioned concerning the religious, ethical and social reforms. Therefore their concern was that the Church of England had developed into an item of radical scuffles as well as human-made policies. They believed and followed the teachings of the Holy Bible strictly. Moreover, they believed that God had made a sole covenant with them and hence God expected them to set a good example to others and transform them from their sinful ways (Powell, 2017). The Puritans had their own religious rules and regulations which every member was to abide by, and those who disobeyed the set rules and regulations were severely punished. Therefore, the religious and political life for the Puritans were unconditionally intertwined.

In the Puritan community, women and children were harshly treated and marginalized. The women were not allowed to partake in town gatherings and were also omitted in the church’s decision making. The male sovereignty was furthered by the Puritan ministers’ especially on sermons and in their writings. Women were subordinate to men and were not allowed to own any property or to conduct in any form of business. Their husbands held everything except for the widows who were allowed to own property and conduct business.

According to Crawford (2014), women were expected to wear modestly by covering their arms and hair, and those found of immodest dressing were rebuked. The Puritans were stringent parents, and they treasured their children but held that their wills needed to be broken as a result of the rudimentary depravity of humanoid nature. Hence this was attained through strict as well as rigorous supervision. The parents especially the mothers strained to practice mental restraint and affection to their children, but if it proved not to work, they were rapid in the use of physical constraints. The children were viewed and considered as the property of their parents whereby if any child was defiant to his parents, any magistrate could discipline him severely.

The Puritans coveted in living lives of decent purity where religious ideologies and beliefs demarcated their lives. It is true that they left England since they were victimized due to their strong religious beliefs. The Puritans found it challenging to live unadulterated lives in England at that time. By exiting England to America, they were capable of founding a social and moral environment which they felt was favorable to their yearning to live a wholesome life. They had a strong unity which increased their spiritual bond and therefore they developed sympathy for each other’s needs. They made religion a controlling force in their everyday activities. Each religious congregation was to be exclusively accountable to God.

Their interpretation of the scriptures was a harsh one where they greatly accentuated on redemptive piety. The individuals who had contrasting theoretical views were requested to leave the communal or else be converted. Predestination doctrine kept most of the Puritans to live spiritual lives so as for them to be chosen for the next eternal life (Tawney, 2017). They believed that God had already decided who to belong in heaven or hell and each believer had no knowledge on which side they belong, and therefore all these beliefs made them live exemplary religious lives.

Based on the Puritans religious beliefs and activities they undertook by relocating to America, it is good to say that Puritanism was a rigorous and realistic attempt to face up to the harsh realities of life. As a result of Puritanism, a free school was offered for all children for the first time in history, and a lot of benefits followed after that. Therefore, the vast number of individuals who ascribed to the lifestyle of the Puritans did much to establish a presence in America firmly. They created a community which maintained a healthy economy, established a school system as well as providing political stability.

References

Crawford, P. (2014). Women and Religion in England: 1500-1720. Routledge.

Gorski, P. (2017). American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present. Princeton University Press.

Powell, H. (2017). The Crisis of British Protestantism: Church Power in the Puritan Revolution, 1638-44. Manchester University Press.

Tawney, R. H. (2017). Religion and the Rise of Capitalism. Routledge.