A Puritan Theology – 1

A Puritan Theology – My Slow Journey Through the Book Begins…

Beeke and Jones attempt to define Puritanism in their introduction to the book.  They decide that Puritanism is a late sixteenth, and seventeenth century form of vigorous Calvinism.

 “Experimentally it was warm and contagious evangelistically it was aggressive, yet tender; ecclesiastically it sought to practice the headship of Christ over the faith, worship and order of His body; politically, it was active, balanced and bound by conscience before God, in the relations of the King, Parliament and subjects.”

In reaching this definition, the authors discuss various time frames for the Puritan period, and who should or should not be included.  They note that Puritanism must be understood as a movement that sought further reform WITHIN the Church of England.   That motivation was dealt a huge blow by the events of 1662, when many of those seeking further reform in the established church were forced from their pulpits, depriving the church of their passion for God’s Word, and for the preaching of the Gospel.

They also refer to the view that the period of true Puritanism may actually have ended with the Great Ejection of 1662, – and the consequent birth of English non-conformity, along with the reestablishment in the church of King, episcopacy and Prayer Book.

Other views are considered.