Too Glad to Be True: Puritan Culture (my note: what they were REALLY like)

New Christendom Journal (from link by Presbyterian Layman Confessing Church site) ^ | 11/23/01 | David Henreckson

[BibChr]

Recon is short for Reconstruction...the belief that Christians should fight for the reformation of society to Biblical principles.

Actually, distinctively it is the belief that society should be brought under the Law of Moses, and that the Church will bring in the Kingdom of God without the physical presence of the Lord Jesus. OT Law is taken literally, OT curses are literally applied to Israel, OT blessings are spiritually transmogrified and stolen by the church.

Dan

[BibChr]

Here, for instance, is an article which (in contrast to yours) actually approaches some clear-eyed reality towards the Puritans.

Dan

[rwfromkansas]

I think that is theonomy, a branch of Christian Recon. Christian Recon ranges from just trying to push societal change without applying the OT law, to theonomy, which does the whole shebang.

[rwfromkansas]

I lost my cool on that thread. What is sad is this "historian", ignoring any facts that disagrees with him, is also a teacher. How repugnant.

[rwfromkansas]

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[rwfromkansas]

He is an AP History student, not teacher....as he is 15. I am a student also in that course.

[Jerry_M]

Great article!

As one descended from New England Puritan stock (my first American ancestor arrived on the "Lyon's Whelp", 1629, as part of the Winthrop expedition), and having read some of the journals of my forefathers, I have long known that the description of these first Americans as dour dispensers of gloom has been much exagerated.

Let us practice a Christianity that is so vibrant, "too glad to be true" as well.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Skooz]

It is amazing how distorted the view of Puritans has become. Far from the dour, humorless killjoys they are portayed as in popular culture, they were vivacious, outgoing, very happy people.

They wore bright-colored clothing and had an enthusiasm for life rarely found among those around them. They were quite tolerant of other points of view--more so than other religious groups of the time.

They believed life was to be lived and enjoyed. Having fun was a religious conviction. Their wine cellars were among the largest and most varied in Europe. They believed in moderation in all things, including a daily glass of wine or two.

They also prospered in business because they worked as hard as they played. The "puritan work ethic" is no myth. In fact, I took a History of the US Economy course in college and the professor insisted that it was the puritan work ethic that made America great in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The fact that they enjoyed and indulged in sex quite often also helped to grow the population at a time when that was vital to the expansion of the economy and growth of the nation.

[RnMomof7]

An aspect of Puritan culture which needs to be defended is its intolerance. Yes, defended. No, tolerance is not always a virtue. G.K. Chesterton once quipped, “Tolerance is the virtue of those who don’t believe anything.” The Bible teaches us what is to be tolerated and what is not, and we must conform our own standards of toleration to God’s. So when we look at the Puritan’s toleration standard, we should not compare it to the modern evangelical’s, but to Moses’ and Paul’s. However, it must be noted that the modern image of the bigoted Puritan is far from accurate. Modernism slanders anything which is contrary to its own set of beliefs, and Puritanism certainly fits that bill.

Wonderful read..I always ask where we are taught to be "tolerant" in scripture? It has become almost a religious tenet of faith thanks to the American PC culture.

I am currently reading "A Godward Life" Vol II by John Piper as a morning devotional. This mornings reading was entitled "The Root of Mental Health Being Healed by God". Sub title "Not helping people be happy on their way to hell"

One of the points in the sermonette is that the whole "God doesnt make junk" or "I am lovable" makes two mistakes first the root of mental health is not "self esteem ,but rather an enjoyment of God" and second and what it means to be "perfect" as in perfectly fitted for God's purposes.

It seems our Puritan ancestors understood this.The root of all happiness is seeing God and knowing him..

Thanks for posting the paper!

[BibChr]

Hm; if that's true, then you know something I don't — which is certainly possible! But I don't know how I wouldn't have heard of it.

I am unaware of anything going by the name of Christian Reconstructionism which is not driven by this neopostmillennial theonomy.

But I certainly am aware of Dispensationalists, Amillennialists, and all other sorts of Bible-believing Christians who believe in applying their Biblically-gained wisdom to society.

Dan

[BibChr]

It was distressing partly because, here we are in a conservative forum where we're all supposedly sensitized to liberal reconstructionism, and here this fellow ARROGANTLY just barfs up the typical liberal slanders against some of the finest folks ever to walk this soil! Ticked me off!

We need MORE Puritanical influence -- not less!

Dan

[rwfromkansas]

The Pilgrims attacked the Puritans for wearingt "lace" and other highly forms of clothing that the Pilgrims thought was too worldly.

Furthermore, in Boston, a man was excommunicated after his wife complained to the church that he refused to have sex with her! Boy, what a bunch of people that could not stand fun (yeah right).

[rwfromkansas]

See, I read an article that seemed to separate out the Recons. Perhaps each group does have a true theonomic influence, it just varies. Beats me...lol

[Skooz]

John Piper is exceptional! I have "The Pleasures of God" and it is one of the best books of theology I have read. Very enlightening and well-reasoned. An absolute joy.