The Puritans: A Transatlantic History

by David D. Hall Narrated by Jason Culp

Overview

A panoramic new 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 new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative 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.

A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. 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 what counted as true religion in America.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

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

Kirkus Reviews

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.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173667847
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	11/12/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged

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