Puritanism & William Bradford

William Bradford Left Holland aboard the Mayflower in 1692 Became governor of Plymouth (re-elected 33 times) Recorded annual events about founding and settlement of Plymouth (270 pages) Not published for 200 years

Plymouth Rock Despite popular belief…the pilgrims did not land here. They settled here. First landed in what is now Provincetown, MA

Of Plymouth Plantation Published for 1 st time in 1856 as History of Plymouth Plantation Recollections of the founding of Plymouth Over time, Bradford’s tone grows more mournful, especially over the exodus from Plymouth

Assignment In a 1 page essay, address how Smith’s story and Bradford’s story are different. Make sure you focus on something you can support and not just superfluous details. (ie: don’t say one was about Jamestown and the other about Plymouth)

Leaving England Many Puritans were often, in Bradford’s words, “taken and clapped up in prison” or “had their houses beset and watched night and day…” WHY???

The North: Puritanism Developed from theories of John Calvin and the Protestant movement that separated from the Catholic Church of England No adornment or ceremony…only fervent, unrelenting belief in God literal reading of Christian scriptures –Vast departure from Catholic interpretation of scriptures

The Five Points of Calvinism TULIP from T: This usually stands for "Total depravity:“ –Depravity means corrupted or degraded. So total depravity is the condition of all men’s bodies and souls to be ruined or corrupted by sin. –the idea that the impairment of man’s will is total, so total that the will is not inclined to do good. U: This stands for "Unconditional Election." This is the concept of predestination: that God has divided humanity into two groups. One group is "the elected." The rest will remain ignorant of God, and the Gospel. They are damned and will spend eternity in Hell without any hope of mercy or cessation of the extreme tortures.

L: This stands for "Limited atonement" or "Particular Redemption." This is the belief that Jesus did not die to save all humans. He only died for the sake of specific sins of those sinners who are saved. I: This stands for "Irresistible Grace:" This is the belief that every human whom God has elected will inevitably come to a knowledge of God. The elect cannot resist the call. P: This stands for "Perseverance of the saints:" This is the "Once saved, always saved" belief -- that everyone who has been saved will remain in that state. God will begin and continue a process of sanctification which will continue until they reach heaven. None are lost; it is impossible for them to lose their salvation.

Drastic reforms in Church of England at a price Jailed Fined Whipped Cut off tops of ears Burned with hot iron Slit nose Despite all of this, most Puritans left Europe reluctantly

Puritan Beliefs Grace Plainness Divine Mission

Grace---the miracle by which God grants some people the ability to truly love Radical change of feelings Cleanse themselves of envy, vanity, and lust so as to love God and God’s creation wholeheartedly Prayer, church-going, or Bible reading will not make people love what they do not love Feelings only changed through grace This is a never-ending voyage---examining feelings looking for signs of grace

Plainness Return Christianity to simplest forms of worship described in the New Testament No decoration or ornamentation Churches as well as practice Eliminated whatever religious practices had come into being since the time of Christ (direct contrast to Catholics)

Divine Mission--- Conviction of carrying to America true Christianity as decreed by God Life in New World Be an example for the rest of the world the notion of “The American Dream”--- distinctive idiom –An idiom is a term or phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use.

Spiritual autobiography Diaries kept by many Puritans attempted to trace the rise of grand in their souls. Those achieving grace told of their experiences in spiritual autobiographies Magnalia Christi Americana (The Great Works of Christ in America) (1702) by Cotton Mather

The fall of Puritanism Lasted only about a century Zeal of 1 st settlers began to fade as villages and towns in New England grew Religion came under attack with the new Age of Reason New generations just didn’t risk slit noses for it any longer Revived briefly in 1740s with the Great Awakening; but it was short-lived

Compare and Contrast the two Psalm 23 A Psalm of David (pgs. 8 & 9) What is the metaphor? What about imagery? Symbolism? How is The Day of Doom (1662) stylistically different from the 23 A Psalm of David even though it is written in Puritan plain style?