Religion happened to be one of the most important factors in the Puritan way of life. The Puritans believed they were chosen by God himself for a specific purpose. They lived every day fearing God, knowing He is in control of everything. All were expected to attend group meetings, what we would call church, every Sabbath day. No exceptions or excuses were valid against this specific belief. If they did miss church, they were required to pay a fine. Performing labor on the Sabbath day was also frowned upon and prohibited. Reading the Bible was a requirement, and all who did not were considered to be worshipping the devil.
Religion wasn’t an option during this time like it is today. No one had a choice of whether or not they wanted to attend church, read their Bible, or perform good works. They also didn’t like for music to be played in the church. Music would indicate a distraction or sense of entertainment, which wouldn’t be acceptable. Their meetings were very structured and very serious. Deacons would poke misbehaving children with “staffs” to immediately correct their behavior, as depicted in this picture.
This picture shows the Puritan church. They worked in an orderly fashion. Everything was plain and structured, with little focus on ornamental things. Decorations were considered to be a distraction from the faith. They believed that worship should be simple but strict.
The Puritans believed that every sin had a direct punishment and it’s own consequence. Today, Christians believe the wages of all sin is death. Instead of leaving God in control, they believed that appointed governors were to reward virtue and punish wrongdoers. Some believed in demonic forces and in some allegations of witchcraft. Their Biblical interpretations are said to have been shared with Protestants. They believed in the Christ as Christians do, but with some alteration of ways. Like Catholicism, they emphasized good works to sustain their salvation.
This video shows how the Puritans believed in offering and salvation, but also expectations when dealing with church. The girl may not be ready for salvation, but she will still be held accountable for following the rule of society, attending church.
Many of the Puritans believed that the English Reformation wasn’t taken far enough, and that they should have pushed “purity” of worship and doctrine much further. The Puritans who agreed separated themselves into groups, while others remained non-separating Puritans. Those who separated themselves are known as Separatists. Separated or not, Puritans were motivated and determined to make an impact in their generation. If they achieved this, then their goal was accomplished.
They walked through life with their own personal faith. It was very important for them to pass this faith on to their children and grandchildren. This greatly explains Anne Bradstreet’s purpose behind the letter to her children. She made it clear that her overall goal was to declare the glory of God. Over the years the Puritan way has, for the most part, been neglected; however, few still follow this way of life in some areas today.
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