puritanism Essay -- essays research papers

The Puritans dream was to create a model society for the rest of the Christians.. Their goal was to make a society in every way connected to god. Every aspect of their lives, from political views and employment to recreation and dress, was taken into account in order to live a more pious life. But to really understand what the aspirations of the puritans were, we must first understand their beliefs. The Puritans believed that a man’s only purpose in life was â€Å"to glorify God on earth and, if he were especially fortunate, to continue the good work in Heaven.† For the puritans, to glorify god meant keeping him in mind at all times, working to the best of their ability at whatever job god had had set fate for them to do, and following a strict moral code based on the bible. Every act and thought in a Puritans life was either a working for god or the opposite. Thus, leading a pious life in the form of working hard, praying, and churchgoing, was considered paying homage to God. Through all of these things, the most important was to be mindful of God at all times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This does not mean, however, that the Puritans did not allow themselves to be comfortable and happy. First of all, the Puritans took happiness in the knowledge that they were living a pure life the way God had intended it to be. Second they believed in working hard, and if one acquired wealth by working hard, saving, and staying sober, than that was evidence of God favoring that person. Eating well, drinking well, sexual indulgence within the bounds of marriage, and enjoying the comforts of life were not assets that were set by the Puritans. In actuality, the Puritans were against certain human actions that they regarded as evils: greediness, materialism, and concern with the externals of religion rather than with the things of the spirit. The puritan was in constant internal conflict, whether it was restraining his human desires, or if he failed in that, than scolding to try harder in efforts. The Puritans believed that they were God’s select few that coul d carry out his original orders the way he had intended.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They came to the New World to bring upon a â€Å"City Upon a Hill† that would serve as a model for the rest of the Christian world. The city of God was destined to be built in New England and the Puritans intended to be the founders. An enti... ...nificant challenge to Massachusetts was Anne Hutchinson. She believed that living a pious life was not enough to become a true Puritan and that to become a true Puritan one must undergo a conversion experience. Hutchinson berated the leaders of the colony for having ministers that she believed were not part of the election and she was a serious threat to the established colonists. Her followers grew to a large amount. She became influential enough to prevent Winthrop’s reelection as governor in 1636. The next year he returned to office and had her tried for heresy. Even though she displayed remarkable knowledge of theology, she still defied clergy, and was eventually banished for sedition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Puritans dreamed of creating the perfect god fearing society as a model for the entire Christian world. They did everything in their power to keep this dream alive. They created strict laws, and enforced them vigorously all in the name of God. But it was destined to fail because of the growing political liberty in England and the numerous advancements during the age of enlightenment, which eventually came into direct conflict with established Puritan beliefs.