What is Puritanism ?

Question 1

How did H. L. Menchen defined puritanism as ?

Answer 1

“the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy”

Question 2

Which characters in Shakespeare’s plays contributed to the bad reputation of puritans ?

Answer 2

In Twelfth Night (1601), Malvolio VS Sir Toby Belch, “Dost thou think that because thou are virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale? (2;3.97-8)”.

Measure for Measure, (perf 1604), the Puritan deputy Angelo sentences a young man to death for fornication. Not only fanatic but hypocritical.

Question 3

Who coined the expression “the hotter sort of protestants” to define puritans ?

Answer 3

Perceval Wilburn

Question 4

When did religious tensions appear in England ?

Answer 4

With Henry VIII in 1534 by naming himself head of the Church, and creating anglicanism

Question 5

Who did Henry VIII name archbishop in 1534 ?

Answer 5

Protestant Thomas Cranmer

Question 6

What is the dissolution about ?

Answer 6

Cranmer clensed England of all of the pope’s authority

Question 7

How can Henry VIII religious stance can be summed u pas ?

Answer 7

“Catholicism without the pope”

Question 8

What was King Edward’s stance on religion ?

Answer 8

He promoted protestantism through Achb Cranmer

Question 9

What did Cranmer do under Edward’s rule ?

Answer 9

Book of common prayer (1549 - moderate version, 1552- more protestant one) + destruction of religious imagery or whitewashing to prevent idolatry + chantries closed

Question 10

What are the dates reign of Mary Tudor ?

Answer 10

1553-1558

Question 11

Who did Mary Tudor replaced Thomas Cranmer with ?

Answer 11

Reginald Pole, executed Archb of C Cranmer

Question 12

What did Mary Tudor do during her rule ?

Answer 12

burn “heretics” at stake
drove protestants into exile
abolishing the 1534 Act of supremacy
Return to Roman church

Question 13

What are Elizabeth Tudor’s dates of reign ?

Answer 13

1558

Question 14

What did Elizabeth Tudor restore during her reign ?

Answer 14

The act of Supremacy 1559
+ Act of uniformity 1559

Question 15

What was the Act of Uniformity (1559) about ?

Answer 15

It mandated the use of the book of common prayer (1559) in all churches

Question 16

When was the final version of the thirty-nine Articles of religion ratified ?

Answer 16

1571

Question 17

When and what was the revolt of the Earls of Westmoreland and Northumberland ?

Answer 17

A catholic uprising in reaction to Elizabeth Tudor 1569

Question 18

What were the two main poles regarding what is now called anglicanism during the elizabethan rule ?

Answer 18

Anglicans : were ok with the thirty-nine articles and being out of Roman church

Puritans : didn’t think the monarchy went far enough and wanted to modify the Thirty-Nine articles of religion

Question 19

What useful definition of puritanism does Richard R. Greaves give ?

Answer 19

“The simplest contemporary model, which has enjoyed wide acceptance in modern times, regards Puritans as those Protestants who manifested dissatisfaction with the established Church, but stopped short of separating from it.” (454).

Question 20

What was the reason of the vestarian controversy ?

Answer 20

that priests and ministers must wear the traditional surplice in Church according to the act of Uniformity of 1559. Puritans were against it because they considered it a vestige of popery.

Question 21

How were called the priests who refused to wear the surplice ?

Answer 21

precisians (were very precise about following the scriptures)

Question 22

What was the first entry in the Oxford Dictionary concerning puritans ?

Answer 22

Thomas Stapelton, a Catholic theologian, who wrote: “We know to weare in the church holy vestements, and to be apparailled priestlike semeth..absurde to the Puritans off our countre, to the zelous gospellers of Geneva”.

Question 23

Who were the Puritans following ?

Answer 23

-mostly Genevan theologian John Calvin,
-some German priest Martin Luther and the Scottish minister John Knox (a Calvinist).

Question 24

What were the key beliefs of Puritanism ?

Answer 24

• Justification (salvation) through faith alone, not good works like praying, fasting, or charity.
• Predestination: all men and women are sinners, but God in his goodness has saved some. You cannot buy your way to heaven.
• Eucharist : priests aren’t magicians, they don’t transform the body into bread and wine, it’s only the spiritual presence of the Christ, not a real one
• no kneeling, no music, no art
• sermons in plain English
• many were in favor of the presbytarian system
• prophecies : debates at the end of sermons
  » Protestant tenants, but puritans were uncompromising

Question 25

What puritan lines did the 1552 Book of Prayer follow ?

Answer 25

• the eucharist as a “remembrence of the Christ”
• ## insistance on human depravity (very calvinist view)

Question 26

What concession did the 1559 Book of Common Prayer make for Catholics ?

Answer 26

• calling the bread a “wafer” and the officiating minister a “priest”
• observation for Saints days who puritans didn’t recognize as legitimate mediators between men and God
• the vestment, kneeling, bowing, liturgical ceremonies
  -absolution

Question 27

Why did the Thirty-Nine Articles provoke discontent for Puritans ?

Answer 27

• sacrament of Baptism
• Eucharist
  » implied the priest had magical powers

Question 28

What were some early separatist puritan groups ?

Answer 28

• Brownists
• Anabaptists
• Independents
• Family of Love

Question 29

In what century have Puritans started acting politically ?

Answer 29

17th century, 1604, started forming an opposition in Parliament

Question 30

What is the specificity of Puritan prayers ?

Answer 30

Very individual practice, praying and reading the Scriptures in private was recommended + introspection replaced confession

Question 31

What is prophecy ?

Answer 31

Debates after sermons

Question 32

What did John Wycliffe introduce ?

Answer 32

the Lollard movement, precursor to Lutherianism in the 14th century, emphasis on praying

Question 33

Why is prayer important in Puritanism ?

Answer 33

Away to fight ignorance, and live like the apostles (particularly Paul)

Question 34

Which scriptures did the Calvinists especially follow ?

Answer 34

Saint Augustine’s reading of the Scriptures
Emphasis on the book of Romans, chapter 8, which recommends the Christian struggle against the sins of the flesh.

Question 35

What is one example of strict puritan rule ?

Answer 35

1600, John Dod preached that the seventh commandment, “though shalt not commit adultery”, forbade anything that might lead to thinking about sex, including dancing, and idleness.

Question 36

What did puritans think about Sabbath ?

Answer 36

Wanted to keep it strictly around praying, thus prohibiting sports etc. on the afternoon

Question 37

What is the “Declaration of sports” or book of Sports (1617) about ?

Answer 37

Controversy with puritans wanting to erase entertainment after Sabbath. James I, a Calvinist, instituted this to authorize entertainment after prayer.

Question 38

How did Philip Stubbes describe plays in Anatomie of Abuses (1583) ?

Answer 38

Division into 2 categories : religious plays that are sacrilegeous and heretical, and profane plays that “tend to the dishonour of God, and nourishing of vice, both which are damnable. So whether they be one or the other, they are quite contrarie to the Worde of Grace, and sucked out of the Devil’s teats, to nourish us in idolatrie, heathenrie, and sinne.” (142).

Question 39

Were all radicals puritans ?

Answer 39

No, for example Stubbes was against plays but was ok with the surplice

Question 40

What did Cromwell (chief minister and secretary of State) do during Henrican reign?

Answer 40

The Dissolution, closing down all monasteries