The Puritans: A Transatlantic History

by David D. Hall

Overview

A panoramic history of Puritanism in England, Scotland, and New England

This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David Hall describes the movement’s deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on religion in America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691203379
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Pages:	528
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

David D. Hall is professor emeritus of American religious history at Harvard Divinity School. His books include A Reforming People: Puritanism and the Transformation of Public Life in New England.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 From Protestant to Reformed 14

Chapter 2 A Movement Emerges 40

Chapter 3 Reformation in Scotland 78

Chapter 4 The Practical Divinity 109

Chapter 5 A Reformation of Manners 144

Chapter 6 Royal Policies, Local Alternatives 172

Chapter 7 A New Sion? Reform, Rebellion, and Colonization c. 1625-1640 206

Chapter 8 The End of the Beginning, 1640-1660 252

Chapter 9 Change and Continuity 300

Epilogue Legacies 342

Acknowledgments 355

Notes 357

Index 495

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A quite remarkable read. The Puritans is measured yet powerful, subtle yet eloquent. Every page of this compelling book testifies to Hall's enviable erudition, delivered in a way that makes it accessible to specialists and general readers alike."—Philip F. Gura, author of American Transcendentalism: A History

"This is a stunning achievement, a magisterial account of religious, cultural, and political change in early modern Scotland, England, and New England. No one understands the Puritans better than David Hall, and his comparative perspective casts everything about them in a fresh light—it's all here, brilliantly interpreted."—E. Brooks Holifield, author of Theology in America: Christian Thought from the Age of the Puritans to the Civil War

"The Puritans is a remarkable and extraordinarily effective account of the geographical spread of ideas of godliness throughout Britain and the Atlantic world during the whole of the long Reformation. In this exceptionally well written and eloquent book, Hall distills sixty years of deep engagement and reflection."—John Morrill, Selwyn College, Cambridge

"In this powerful and engaging book, David Hall takes on the Puritan movement in its entirety, deftly reminding us of the centrality of religious conflict in the making of modern states while remaining ever sensitive to the nuances of belief and practice in the shaping of religious cultures. The Puritans stands as the capstone to Hall's distinguished career."—Mark Peterson, author of The City-State of Boston: The Rise and Fall of an Atlantic Power, 1630–1865

"David Hall, the acknowledged master of American Puritan studies, has crossed the Atlantic to bring England and Scotland into the contextual mix, finally making sense of a phenomenon too often wrenched from its own roots. At last we have a truly comprehensive account of Puritanism, beautifully written—as one would expect of this author—and compellingly argued."—Margo Todd, author of The Culture of Protestantism in Early Modern Scotland

"David Hall's new transatlantic history of Puritanism draws on a lifetime of scholarly wisdom to offer a thought-provoking perspective on an old problem. With characteristic authority and lucidity, Hall tells a compelling story of deep theological convictions and passions that shaped sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Britain and New England in profound and unpredictable ways."—Alexandra Walsham, author of The Reformation of the Landscape: Religion, Identity, and Memory in Early Modern Britain and Ireland

Editorial Reviews

Winner of the Philip Schaff Prize, American Society of Church History

From the Publisher

2019-10-07
A reexamination of Puritanism spanning the British Isles and American Colonies.

Hall (Emeritus, Religious History/Harvard Divinity School; A Reforming People: Puritanism and the Transformation of Public Life in New England, 2011, etc.) sets out to explore the origins, triumphs, and defeats of the Puritan movement as it was manifested in England, Scotland, America, and, to a lesser extent, Ireland. The author also aims to reclaim Puritanism from the unseemly stereotype it acquired as the liberalizing church in England and America distanced itself from this ancestor in the 19th century. The story of Puritanism begins, necessarily, with the story of the Reformation and, most especially, with that of the "Reformed Movement" of Calvinism, which migrated north into England and Scotland in the 1500s. Hall begins with this period and explains how a significant portion of the church, having hoped for thorough reform, became increasingly dissatisfied with the policies of Elizabeth I and then James I, both of whom they felt were too aligned with Catholic practice and doctrine. The Puritan movement that arose from these disputes was never entirely unified, but it would act as a defining force in British politics and church polity for decades, culminating in the execution of Charles I. Parallel to this history lesson, Hall delves into the lives of everyday Puritans and how the movement affected the worship of the average church. This includes the "practical divinity," whereby Reformed theology was translated into the quest for personal salvation, and the "reformation of manners," the push for holy living for which Puritanism is often remembered and, indeed, caricatured. As he did in A Reforming People, Hall provides an in-depth and erudite study that scholars will find quite useful; however, average readers will be lost in the details and academic tone. Ultimately, the author makes readers reconsider the character and role of the Puritan movement.

A well-researched study of the Puritans that will find most of its readers within academia.

Kirkus Reviews