Puritanism: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #212

by Francis J. Bremer

Written by a leading expert on the Puritans, this brief, informative volume offers a wealth of background on this key religious movement. This book traces the shaping, triumph, and decline of the Puritan world, while also examining the role of religion in the shaping of American society and the role of the Puritan legacy in American history. Francis J. Bremer discusses the rise of Puritanism in the English Reformation, the struggle of the reformers to purge what they viewed as the corruptions of Roman Catholicism from the Elizabethan church, and the struggle with the Stuart monarchs that led to a brief Puritan triumph under Oliver Cromwell. It also examines the effort of Puritans who left England to establish a godly kingdom in America. Bremer examines puritan theology, views on family and community, their beliefs about the proper relationship between religion and public life, the limits of toleration, the balance between individual rights and one's obligation to others, and the extent to which public character should be shaped by private religious belief.
About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian, The United States Of America, Philosophy

122 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Francis J. Bremer is Emeritus Professor of History at Millersville University.

Reviews

[Daniel Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshingly fair-minded introduction. It's rather sad that 'puritan' is almost exclusively a term of abuse. The puritans were not angels, but Bremer treats them as fellow human beings, and as such deserving sympathy.

Chapter 1: Reforming the English Reformation
Chapter 2: Puritan experiments
Chapter 3: The puritan and his God
Chapter 4: Living the puritan life
Chapter 5: The puritan and his neighbours
Chapter 6: Puritans and the larger society
Chapter 7: The puritan legacy

[William Adam Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book includes the claim that there are a lot of misconceptions about the way that people think about Puritans today. The author then proceeds to share every example after example about the misconceptions that we have of Puritans, which seems to reinforce those misconceptions. Towards the end of the book, he does admit that many of these ideas were exaggerated, but it sure has been worthwhile to enumerate them. Bremer does do a solid job of distinguishing how Puritanism developed in England and then how it contrasted with its development in the New England colonies, where it had a very large social impact.

Bremer devotes a chapter to Puritan theology, which is explained well in some sections, but falters in other sections. His explanations of applied theology seems most lacking. Bremer completely omits any mention of John Owen, the foremost Puritan theologian during the time of the English Civil War, which seems like a major omission. The book is short, but including a few paragraphs on how Owen's thought impacted Puritan tradition seems reasonable.

The best part of the book is the conclusion, as he includes the changing perspectives in England and America of the Puritan heritage.

[Bojan Tunguz · Rating 5 out of 5]

When one thinks of Puritans and Puritanism (in the US this usually happens around the time of Thanksgiving) one usually thinks of men and women in staid black vestments who are dour in demeanor and extremely strict and bleak in their morals. However, this caricature has more to do with the way that Puritanism was used in the twentieth century as a byword for all sorts of strict moral and religious attitudes than with the real Puritans and their primary concerns. From that standpoint this very short introduction from the Oxford University Press serves as a useful guide to dispelling many of those prevalent myths and prejudices about Puritanism. It places its origins in the right historical and political context, and that is the one of sixteenth and seventeenth England. Puritanism arose in the aftermath of the splitting of the Church of England from the Catholic Church, and its primary impulses were to bring the Church of England further along the line of other protestant churches and get rid of what was perceived as remnants of Catholic practices. Puritans never became a separate and self-contained denomination, but were rather a reform movement within Anglicanism. In their theology they were closer to Calvinism, but overall did not possess a distinct theological tradition.

In England, aside from politics Puritans have had a significant influence on all aspects of public life. John Milton's "Paradise Lost" is a prime example of influence of Puritan ideal on literature and arts. One of the more surprising things that I came away with after reading this book was how quite ordinary Puritans actually were, and how in fact some of the stereotypes we have about them are in actuality quite the opposite of what the reality were. For instance, much like the rest of sixteenth and seventeenth English population Puritans readily consumed alcohol, even in preference to water which was at the time extremely polluted and unsafe to drink. The completely black outfits that are traditionally associated with Puritans were in fact worn only by the elite, since black cloths at the time symbolized high status and were hard to come by. The only accurate idea about them seems to be about their avoidance of theatre and dancing.

In the US Puritanism has a special status due to the nation's founding myth of Pilgrims who had established a colony in present day Massachusetts. For centuries many of the values and ideals that have been ascribed to the Pilgrims have shaped the way that Americans perceive themselves. The actual Puritans are long gone now, but many of their spiritual descendants are still with us in the form of different Protestant denominations. For the sake of better understanding of American religious heritage it is important to know about the origin of these denominations, and this very short introduction is a very useful step in that direction.

[Sandrine Pal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would that they were all this short... Even if (like me) you know next to nothing about that era, this ostensibly simple introduction is still quite the joyride. In that time period, it would appear most sovereigns were named Mary, and everyone else had utterly improbable first names, like Increase or Cotton (and that's just the Mather family). The sheer number of Protestant creeds that emerged in under 100 years is simply dizzying.

[Rafael Salazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely extraordinary survey on the subject of the puritan movement. It clarifies misconceptions while steadily organizing the chronology and motivating factors in the history and legacy of the groups in both sides of the Atlantic. A worthwhile short introduction, especially in light of the use it suffers in contemporary controversies.

[Walt Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written and helpful overview of this important historical and religious movement that significantly influenced the contemporary evangelical church. Bremmer presents an accurate and sympathetic account of the theology and practice of the Puritans - and in the process correcting some of the 'negative press' that Puritanism has recieved yet without white-washing its weaknesses. This is an excellent and very readable primer for anyone not familiar with Puritan history.
Note: this was the second book I've read in the Oxford University Press "Very Short Introduction" series (The other was "The Brain") . Both have been outstanding. I'll be sure to read more in this series that contains over 300 titles covering the most diverse subjects!

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the quality of this series is wildly uneven [1], in general I am fond of reading these very short introductions of various subjects because the extreme brevity of the text forces writers to be concise in their discussion of topics and only to include what they feel to be the most essential matters.  This brevity is something to be celebrated and it allows one to get a basic introduction to fundamental matters while one is engaged in reading massive amounts of books about subjects as part of various syntopical reading projects.  In this particular case the author does a great job because he takes on a difficult job (defining what it means to be a Puritan) and does something fairly remarkable in contemporary writing, and that is sticking to the sources and what they say rather than in focusing on his own supposed insight into the topic he is writing about.  While this should be by no means a rare approach, it frequently appears that many writers fail to do what is obvious in seeking to increase their credibility by showing more textual knowledge and less speculation, but only time will tell if this approach becomes more common.

This particular book is a bit more than 100 pages and is divided into seven chapters.  The author begins this book with a list of illustrations and an introduction.  After that he explores the Puritans and their goals of reforming the English Reformation (1), which seems more unusual on the surface than in reality when one understands the compromises that were involved in the incomplete English reformation.  After that the author discusses Puritan experiments at showing holy living in practice, most notably in the New England colonies (2).  The authors then discuss the relationship between the Puritan and his God (3), which is explored through the discussions of Puritans about sch matters as grace, security, and predestination.  After that comes some discussion on living the Puritan life and how that often alienated people from less restrained neighbors (4).  This leads naturally into a discussion on Puritans and their neighbors (5), who were often less than enamored with the Puritan focus on holy and restrained living.  After this the author discusses the relationship between Puritans and larger society (6) as well as the Puritan legacy (7) in the English-speaking world.  Finally, the book ends with references, suggestions for further reading, and an index.

Admittedly, there is a lot more to Puritanism than this particular book indicates, but if you want a good guide to the subject this will at least get you started in a fair-minded way.  A great deal of the discourse on Puritans and their religious thinking has been greatly harmed because we have read about them more from their enemies and from mockers whose words cannot be taken seriously than we have from the Puritans themselves, who were not shy about reflecting on their struggles and lives.  If we want to understand the Puritans--and I think it is worthwhile to understand them even if my own beliefs are distinct from theirs--then it is best to do so taking their own writings as being serious and honest.  The opposition that Puritans had to the Anglican compromise between Catholic and Protestant principles has put the Puritans at a bit of a disadvantage, especially since it never became a national and dominant religious tradition during the course of English history and because taking American religious history has not been a frequently undertaken scholarly task.  But it can be done and this book demonstrates at least part of what can be done working in that field.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2019...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2019...

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mediocre introduction to Puritanism, at best. It does a decent job at tracing the political ramifications of the movement that began as a protest and desire to purify the Church of England and is best known in American history for the colonizing of New England.
While the author talks about seeking a balance, it is not convincing. Bremer has an annoying habit of using the small case "p" for most of his references for "puritan" throughout his work, rather than the conventional capital letter for a proper subject (a practice that he does not carry through with any other group). It gives the impression of disdain on his part.
Bremer begins his study by mentioning the problem of a definition for Puritanism (with a small "p") and never really fleshes it out. He makes an interesting observation that "Whereas other religious movements of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries--Lutheranism, Catholicism, Genevan Calvinism, among others--became institutionalized so that there were official statements of faith and formal membership in churches, puritanism [sic] never achieved that type of clear identity (p. 2)." Depending on one's definition of Puritanism this could be considered a true statement (again, he does not give a satisfactory answer to that line of thought), but there are fallacies with it. Puritans were actually known for doctrinal statements, and he mentioned only one (on p. 24) in passing, the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), and since he appears to be using a broad umbrella for Puritanism (again, he never defines), one should also mention the Congregationalist's Savoy Declaration (1658) and the Baptist's Confession of Faith (1689). A cursory examination of these might have helped his analysis.
An easy read that could be helpful for reference purposes, but don't expect much else from this "very short introduction."

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does exactly what it say on the tin: it provides a well-written, very short introduction to the phenomenon of puritanism in the early modern period. It gives a useful overview of definitions, practices, lifestyle, and beliefs - including the best explanation of the logic behind predestination that I have ever come across - explained through good examples and reference to the sources. However, its political history of puritanism is dire: it is over-simplified to the point of nonsense, and contained at least five factual areas in one very short chapter (including incorrect names). In summary, for an overview of puritanism it is fine, but for the episcopal, parliamentary, and court reactions, look elsewhere.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historian Francis J. Bremer published Puritanism: A Very Short Introduction in 2009. The book has a section of references, illustrations, and an index. The book has a section entitled “further reading” (Bremer 112-116). The first chapter is on the origins of Puritanism. The second chapter is a history of the Puritans. The third chapter is on the Puritans' “understanding of God and the individual’s relationship to God” (Bremer 34). The fourth chapter is on the lifestyle of the Puritans. The fifth chapter is on the relationship between Puritans and their community. The sixth chapter is entitled “Puritans and the larger society” (Bremer 75-96). The last chapter is on the legacy of the Puritans. Bremer tries to present a balanced view of Puritanism in Colonial North America and the British Isles. I believe Bremer is mainly successful in his project to present a balanced view of Puritanism. Each chapter has an example of a primary source from a Puritan. I learned a lot from this book. For example, the section on the Puritan's relationship with sports provides a fun fact that Roman Catholic monks invented tennis (Brenner 57-58). I read the book on my Kindle. Bremer’s book is a well-done introduction to Puritanism. The book is very readable.

[Lauren Vogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

After studying the Puritans in college, I became fascinated by their way of life and the misconceptions that had been perpetuated in lesser education levels or just in the basic culture; the way in which we use puritanical as a judgmental adjective. This little tome really delved into what they were really about, and their legacy. It would have been a pleasure to have added this when I studied it.

[Vincent Kwofie Junior. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is interesting unbiased book that gives a brief knowledge of Puritanism. Makes a good read.

[Igor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening, but dry.

[Hunter Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear, unbiased, and fun to read

[Chrisanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delivered on its promise. Lacked citations, though that was to be expected. Refutes some myths and confirms others.

[Joel Zartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 “At the heart of puritanism was the attempt to transform society by first using grace to make God’s will one’s own. . . . the puritan objective to make society a godly kingdom.”

32-3 “Having begun as a movement to transform individuals, communities, and nations through words and example, puritanism achieved political power in the seventeenth century in both | England and New England. Their experiments to reshape society by imposing a set of beliefs and practices on citizens forced puritans to confront issues that they had not previously had to consider, leading to new considerations about their faith and lifestyle. The effort to impose reform failed.”

60 “In their efforts to regulate personal and communal morality the puritans sought to make themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods godly kingdoms whose light would shine forth and provide an example for others seeking to properly serve God.”

81 “However, the puritan colonists saw the state as nurturing the churches. . . . the puritan ideal was cooperation between . . . the magistrates and the ministers.”

Light on the why of this, but readable. Has the advantage of taking both sides of the Atlantic into consideration, and both sides were in play.

[Vishal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good introduction to the history of the rise and fall of Puritanism in England and New England. The book provides a decent overview of the principal forces, both political and religious, responsible for shaping the Puritan movement of the early 1600s. It also seeks to disabuse the public of common misperceptions about the "puritanical" character, such as the widely-held belief that puritans were killjoys. It is hard to discuss at too great a length about all aspects of Puritanism in a little under 125 pages, but Bremer has done a fairly well job of presenting the most important aspects of the Puritan movement and its legacy and influence in the history of England and the US since the early 17th century. Bremer's introduction provides a good starting point for delving further into Puritanism. Highly recommended.

[George · Rating 1 out of 5]

If there is a book that could inspire you to learn about the most controversial religious group in history than Bremer's introduction is it. I learned more about the Church of England, Calvinists, the English Civil War, the Restoration, the Act of Uniformity and everything that led up to the Puritans coming to America than my feeble mind could fathom. Consequently I could not care less about the Puritan philosophy or attire which is also key to understanding perhaps justifying their radicalism and their paranoia that led to the Salem Witch Trials.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview of not just Puritanism, but the era and politics that produced them. Also covers how they have influenced thinking and politics in England and America, and how the rest of society has viewed them from their own time through the present era.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative.

[Sofie Sieling · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this with an academic mindset for my research paper. I understand Puritan society quite a lot better now, but the author seemed to sure of himself at times.

[Mallika Soni]

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