Hot Protestants : A History of Puritanism in England and America

An innovative and compelling study of puritanism that follows the full sweep of the movement’s history in England and America Begun in the mid-sixteenth century by Protestant nonconformists keen to reform England’s church and society while saving their own souls, the puritan movement was a major catalyst in the great cultural changes that transformed the early modern world. Providing a uniquely broad transatlantic perspective, this groundbreaking volume traces puritanism’s tumultuous history from its initial attempts to reshape the Church of England to its establishment of godly republics in both England and America and its demise at the end of the seventeenth century. Shedding new light on puritans whose impact was far-reaching as well as on those who left only limited traces behind them, Michael Winship delineates puritanism’s triumphs and tribulations and shows how the puritan project of creating reformed churches working closely with intolerant godly governments evolved and broke down over time in response to changing geographical, political, and religious exigencies. Begun In The Mid-sixteenth Century By Protestant Nonconformists Keen To Reform England's Church And Society While Saving Their Own Souls, The Puritan Movement Was A Major Catalyst In The Great Cultural Changes That Transformed The Early Modern World. Providing A Uniquely Broad Transatlantic Perspective, This Groundbreaking Volume Traces Puritanism's Tumultuous History From Its Initial Attempts To Reshape The Church Of England To Its Establishment Of Godly Republics In Both England And America And Its Demise At The End Of The Seventeenth Century. Shedding New Light On Puritans Whose Impact Was Far-reaching As Well As On Those Who Left Only Limited Traces Behind Them, Michael Winship Delineates Puritanism's Triumphs And Tribulations And Shows How The Puritan Project Of Creating Reformed Churches Working Closely With Intolerant Godly Governments Evolved And Broke Down Over Time In Response To Changing Geographical, Political, And Religious Exigencies. Rise And Retreat, 1540-1630: The Seeds Of Puritanism -- Proto-puritans In Exile -- The Birth Panges Of Puritan England -- The Elizabethan Puritan Political Movement -- The Puritan Path To Heaven -- Taming Puritanism -- The Lure Of The Atlantic -- Reformations, 1630-1660: John Cotton Comes To Massachusetts -- Protestant Reformation And Counter-reformation In The 1630s -- A Miraculous Year Goes Bad -- The Wobbly Rise And Precipitous Collapse Of Presbyterian England -- Shaking Out Antichrist In The 1650s -- Consolidating Reformation In New England -- Old England's Corruptions Come To New England -- Waban's Reformation -- Twilight, 1660-1689: English Puritanism Under Persecution -- English Puritanism Goes Public Again -- Religious Pluralism Comes To Puritan New England -- New England's Reformations Come Of Age -- New England's Puritan Autonomy Ends -- Endings, 1689-1690s: Hopes Raised And Dashed -- The Final Parting Of The Ways For English Puritans -- A Godly Massacre Of The Innocents In Post-puritan Massachusetts. Michael P. Winship. “The rise and fall of transatlantic puritanism is told through political, theological, and personal conflict in this exceptional history.” ( Publishers Weekly , starred review) Begun in the mid-sixteenth century by Protestant nonconformists keen to reform England’s church and society while saving their own souls, the puritan movement was a major catalyst in the great cultural changes that transformed the early modern world. Providing a uniquely broad transatlantic perspective, this groundbreaking volume traces puritanism’s tumultuous history from its initial attempts to reshape the Church of England to its establishment of godly republics in both England and America and its demise at the end of the seventeenth century. Shedding new light on puritans whose impact was far-reaching as well as on those who left only limited traces behind them, Michael Winship delineates puritanism’s triumphs and tribulations and shows how the puritan project of creating reformed churches working closely with intolerant godly governments evolved and broke down over time in response to changing geographical, political, and religious exigencies. “Among the fairest and most readable accounts of the glorious failure that was trans-Atlantic Puritanism.” — The Wall Street Journal “Exhilarating popular history . . . convincingly captures in one bold retelling decades of scholarship on Puritanism’s origins, developments and characteristics” — Times Literary Supplement “Winship has established himself as a leading authority on the history of the Puritans. While many works have focused on a specific aspect of Puritan history, . . . there are fewer works that show Puritanism as a multinational movement in Europe and the Americas. This book fills those gaps.” — Library Journal A Choice Outstanding Academic Titles CONTENTS 7 ILLUSTRATIONS 9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 12 A NOTE ON THE TEXT 14 INTRODUCTION 27 Part I. RISE AND RETREAT, c. 1540–c. 1630 33 Part II. REFORMATIONS, c. 1630–c. 1660 109 Part III .TWILIGHT, c. 1660–c. 1689 227 Part IV. ENDINGS, 1689–1690s 289 GLOSSARY 319 ENDNOTES 322 INDEX 366