Puritans Goals in New England?

Question

Could you describe some of their goals? I know it deals greatly with trying to purify the religion but can you elaborate on it more. Thank you all!

Answer 1

Well, they left England because they thought the Church of England was corrupt. Some Puritans believes in reform (mostly the ones who settled in the Boston area), while others believed that true Christians (ie. them) must separate themselves from the Church of England (mostly those who settled in Plymouth).

They were different from Christians in the following ways/beliefs: Predestination (they thought that belief in Jesus alone couldn't affect your salvation, and that God chooses whether you're saved or not); a belief that "high church" rituals/symbols (which were quite opulent) should not be accepted.

When William Laud, an avowed Arminian, became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, the Church of England began to embrace beliefs abhorrent to Puritans: a focus on the individual's acceptance or rejection of grace; a toleration of diverse religious beliefs; and an acceptance of "high church" rituals and symbols.

This described their mindset pretty well (it's from the Bible)--"The night is far spent, the day is at hand; not in carousing and drunkenness, not in debauchery and lust, not in strife and jealousy. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts therof'"

This is a REALLY good website: http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/purd... (especially the part titled "The New England Way")