Research On English Puritan Movement Of The Early Stuart

In the16tj century Western European religious reformation tide, Puritanism as a protestant strength, has had a significant impact in British history. The formation of Puritanism has a profound historical background. Because the religious reformation of Tudor period halfway, kept a lot of Catholic residual. Some pious religious reformers tried to purify church of England from doctrine, liturgy and church system, in order to establish pure protestant church, so Puritanism arisd. Puritanism sprouted in Edward VI, expanded in Elizabeth I. Because the different idea of church system, the puritans were divided into Presbyterian and Congregationalist in Elizabeth period. Presbyterian advocated Presbyterianism instead of Episcopacy, Congregationalists advocated Congregationalism instead of Episcopacy. Although the former was indirect democracy, the latter was direct democracy, both reflected the puritan pursuit of religious independence, freedom and democracy.Tudor Puritanim provided theory and practice preparation for Puritanism in the Early Stuart. With the monarchy of James I and Charles I reinforced, the contradiction of the king and parliament, the contradiction of Anglican Church and the Puritan intensified, thus British Bourgeois Revolution broke out, Puritan Movement appeared as one falls another rises. Puritan Movement included both gentle Presbyterian reform and the radical Congregationalist separation of church. The development of the Puritanism in North America reflected religious ideals of the pilgrims to establish the real kingdom of Christ. The Puritan movement of the Early Stuart presented different characteristics. The’first is that Puritan combined gradually with the Middleclass, expanded the Puritan strength, finally abolished the bishop system depending on parliament and made Puritanism replaced the Anglican Church as the social mainstream ideology. The second is that it not only against state religion, but also against the monarchy, reflected the pursuit of religious independence, freedom, democracy.The influence of Puritan movement in early Stuart was great. Firstly, it promoted the British Bourgeois Revolution outbreak, provided a ideological weapon and expanded the revolutionary ranks. Secondly, it molded the Puritan social values, the value of the Puritan piety, humility, serious, honest, diligent, thrift breed the spirit of capitalism and promoted the development of the British capitalism. However, Puritan trying to use extreme Puritan religious life instead of secular life greatly hurt the feelings of the British people. In additon, as Bourgeoisie rational thought has not been formed in the Early Stuart, the puritan pursuit of freedom, religious independence, democracy shaped the modern rational thought.