1. “We’re Not Happy ‘til You’re not Happy” Puritans, Separatists & Early America

2. Puritans: Fine then, I’ll just leave 1630: Puritans left England for America, following a split with the Church of England, Believed secular governors are accountable to God – argued that the only head of the Church in heaven or earth is Christ (no separation of church and state!) Migrated to New England in family units, unlike Jamestown settlers who were noblemen and craftsmen

3. The Puritans were a division of people of the Church of England (headed by King James) – wanted to “purify” the Church of England of its laxity, excesses, and abuses – Wanted to return to the simplicity of primitive Christian church, to find the “divine truth.” What was their gripe?

4. Some of their primitivist (back to original, untampered) beliefs… Refused to kneel during communion since there was no proof the Apostles had done so during the Last Supper. Did not make the sign of the cross when saying Christ’s name either, for similar reasons. No use for the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer, since it tampered with original meaning of the Bible and inhibited the spontaneity necessary to glimpse the divine. Hymns, too, were corrupt.

5. Beliefs 3 beliefs pervade Puritan writing: 1. Grace—a state of being, cleansed of envy, vanity, and lust so as to love God wholeheartedly – How can one achieve grace? Puritans believed that feelings could be changed only through God’s will. – Recognized people cannot simply decide to convert their feelings: no amount of prayer, churchgoing, or Bible reading can make people love what they do not love.

6. Beliefs 2. Plainness—Puritans eliminated practices that had come into being after Christ, which they regarded not as God-given commands but as human decorations. Met for worship in square wooden buildings, painted white and stripped of ornament, rather than in ornate cathedrals. Attire was plain, simple monochromatic.

7. Beliefs 3. Divine Mission—Puritans believed that America was a place specially appointed by God to be an example to the rest of the world, a “city upon a hill” – Puritans believed that a congregation began with a covenant (a term from the Bible) between a group of believers and God; a covenant also described the individual’s relationship with God

8. Separation of…head from body? The Separatists were those radical Puritans who, unlike other Puritans who sought to effect change from within the church, wanted to draw away from the Church of England (because it was not the true church of Christ) around 1607: this was an illegal act for which many were executed.

9. Pilgrims: Were they Puritans or Separatists? Both! You would be safe to say that the Pilgrims were Puritans and that they were, more specifically, Separatists…and Calvinists. Separatists, still very English, worried their children were becoming Dutch, decided to sail to the New World to re-create their English village life away from the dictates of King James.

10. Calvinism Puritanism is associated with a particularly gloomy and pessimistic outlook. Puritans were Calvinists, followers of Swiss Theologian John Calvin. Calvinism emphasizes original sin and man’s fall, sees man as utterly corrupt who can be regenerated only through God’s grace. Because of Christ, man has been given a second chance, but this privilege has been extended only to the elect, the chosen few (the Saints) God has decided to save; all the others are predestined for damnation.

11. Simple, yet innovative These Puritans, Calvinists, Separatists weren’t entirely cheerless or they never would have survived the New World: – vigorous and hardy people – daring enough to leave the Church of England – found the spiritual and intellectual discipline to be richly rewarding – Their legacy of “plain living and high thinking” lives on today as we often aspire to self- examination and spiritual and not material truth.

12. Shameless Name-Dropping William Byrd John Smith Jonathan Edwards Anne Bradstreet