A person who desired to purify the church of england
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If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked. Puritans were members of the Church of England, or Anglican Church, who, in the 16th century, began to protest against what they perceived as serious abuses by religious authorities. The label "Puritan" spoke to the desire of these reformers to purify the Anglican Church by eradicating both corruption and remaining traces of Catholicism. Committed Anglicans, Puritans wanted to remain in the church to create change. Unsuccessful in their objective within England, the group eventually relocated to the American colonies, settling largely in the northeast region, which they renamed New England.
Explore this article1 Calvinist Influence ... Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images The Puritans were Calvinists, meaning they embraced John Calvin’s theory of predestination. This theory claimed that God had decided the fate of each person before birth. There was nothing a person could do to become one of the enlightened saints with the gift of salvation. Likewise, there would be little church authorities could do for one's soul. Puritans had doubts about the Anglican -- and Catholic -- belief in the role of intermediaries, usually priests, between individuals and God. To Puritans, individuals had a personal relationship with God. 2 Types of PuritansThere were two main types of Puritans: Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Both of these groups' ideas would conflict with the formal organization of the Anglican Church. There were Separatist reformers, as well; however, since their goal was to leave the Anglican Church, most scholarship considers them outsiders to the Puritan reform movement. Presbyterians thought the Church of England should restructure its hierarchy. The Anglicans had a strict structure led by formal religious authorities. This structure, patterned after the Catholic Church, had little room for leadership from laypeople, those without official training. Presbyterians desired a more influential role for individuals in religion. Power needed to remain in the hands of local units, rather than larger religious bodies. These units, or Presbyters, would allow local ministers and laypeople to work together to ensure the church served the needs of parishioners. Congregationalists wanted each congregation, or individual church, to conduct business free of any influence from local or national religious authorities. This form of worship would prove popular in the American colonies. 3 Puritan ReformsTo Puritans, reforming the Church of England, of which all British citizens were members, required a form of cleansing, or purification. The Puritans had multiple problems with English religion. The first problem was that everyone was a member of the church. Sinners received baptism along with the elect. Belonging to a church should not be a right of birth, as it was in England, Puritans proclaimed. The church also needed to stop tolerating gambling and drunkenness, which some Puritans associated with Catholic corruptness. Bishops wearing expensive vestments during elaborate ceremonies reminded Puritans of Catholicism, which, as Protestants, Puritans abhorred. Last, the clergy were not knowledgeable enough to instruct the people properly in the faith. Puritans often referred to the clergy as “dumb dogges” (Nation of Nations: Laypeople, if educated, could perform church functions, Puritans argued. 4 Why Puritans Left EnglandIn 1603, James I ascended to the throne as King of England and head of the Anglican Church. The new King wanted to eradicate any dissent. He and his successor, Charles I, suppressed Puritan beliefs. As a result, Puritans reluctantly accepted relocation to the American colonies. Once in the colonies, Puritans attempted to establish a “New England” that would be an example of what they considered the potential of the real England. The Puritans did want to purify the Anglican Church, but they didn't achieve that objective. Nevertheless, they did create a lasting influence in the world by shaping American society to a large degree.
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About the AuthorDavid Kenneth has a Ph.D. in history. His work has been published in "The Journal of Southern History," "The Georgia Historical Quarterly," "The Southern Historian," "The Journal of Mississippi History" and "The Oxford University Companion to American Law." Kenneth has been working as a writer since 1999. Who wanted to purify the Anglican Church of all Catholic elements?By the early 1600s, increasing numbers of English Protestants, known as Puritans, wanted to “purify” or get rid of many lingering elements of Catholic worship in the Church of England. The Puritans wanted a much simpler form of worship and the right to elect ministers for their own congregation.
What did the Puritans want from the church of England?They believed the Church of England was too similar to the Roman Catholic Church and should eliminate ceremonies and practices not rooted in the Bible. Puritans felt that they had a direct covenant with God to enact these reforms.
What did the Puritans mean by purify the church of England?The Puritans wanted the Church of England to become pure by getting rid of Catholic practices. The Puritan wanted to "purify" the Church of England of its remaining Catholic influence and rituals and to return to the simple faith of the New Testament.
What did Puritans want to reform in the church of England quizlet?How did the Puritans want to reform the Church of England? They wanted to purify it of Roman Catholic abuses. What was the major difference between Separatist and non-Separatist Puritans? Whether or not a "pure" church had to be entirely free of Agnlican "pollution."
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