Concept in Definition ABC

The term Puritan is used recurrently to refer to that belonging to or linked to puritanism.

Own or associated with Puritanism

Meanwhile, Puritanism was a radical position that arose within Protestantism in England, after the Reformation and during the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 16th century to be more precise.

Characteristics of this movement that emerged in England and that followed the Calvinist proposal

Puritanism did not commune with either the Catholic Church or the Anglican Church proposal, rather it rejected both. It is that an important sector within the Church of England believed that the definitive break with the Catholic Church has not yet been had finished specifying, since part of the beliefs and the liturgy remained the same between one and the other, so marked. And on the side of Anglicanism there was no agreement either since this sector considered it too close to the English royal power and in many circumstances then arbitrary.

It was mostly made up of orthodox Calvinists who did not allow in their rituals any type of seasoning linked to the

Catholicism.
The Bible was strictly respected and they believed that the right way was to get away from the comforts that the world offers. For example, leisure and luxury were frowned upon by the followers of this beliefHowever, they did defend and promote commercial activity as a means of support and also they considered that success in commerce was a clear reward that came from God for having done well things.

Get away from luxuries and get closer to faith

Money was important of course, but as long as it was invested in considered issues useful and charitable activities, of course they did not agree to spend it on luxuries or useless.

The dogma that supported and proposed this new belief was the authority supreme of God above all human questions and that man was to be reformed through the grace of God. Once God showed mercy to man, he should trust in divine forgiveness and in return to him should lead an obedient and humble life,

Its main characteristics include: emphasis on the private study of the Bible, everyone should achieve education and illustration because only in this way could they read and understand the Bible, priesthood for all believers, lead a simple life and that this is manifested in worship, in dress and in images, not joining in the celebration of traditional festivities, keeping one day in the week as indicated by the Bible.

Regarding the hierarchy ecclesiastical, some supported and respected it, while others sought its reformulation to the Presbyterian model, which is based on the teachings proposed by the Bible and have John Calvin, one of the promoters of the Protestant Reformation, as the most outstanding.

They suffered persecution

Like everything movement minority had to suffer discrimination and of course persecutions.
The causes of the same were linked to the position politics adopted by the Puritans, in favor of the system of government parliamentary and against monarchical absolutism.
This situation generated that many Puritans were persecuted and had to go into exile in other European countries such as Holland, and also North America was the destination of so many others.

Those who went to the northern part of the American continent were the germ of the colonies that time later would make up one of the most powerful countries in the world such as States United.

Supporter of Puritanism

Therefore, another of the uses of the term puritan is to refer to a supporter or follower of the aforementioned Puritanist movement.

Person who strictly follows moral norms

And in common language we usually use the word puritan to refer to that person who follows and respects moral standards very strictly, almost even exaggerated in some situations.

We can exemplify this sense with concrete cases, for example, the person who avoids saying bad words or insulting expressions; that woman who discards among her clothing provocative clothes that suggest or show her body, such is the case of pronounced necklines or miniskirts.

Commonly this profile of people tend to be very introverted, they dress very formally, they do not display their bodies, they are very modest in every way, in what they wear and what they talk about, and they also tend to have an intense religious faith that leads them to practice the religion they profess on a daily basis and with great commitment.

Themes in Puritano