Knowra Puritans Puritans Puritans were English Protestants who sought to reform the Church of England further, especially from the late 16th through the 17th century. They differed over whether reform should occur within the established church or outside it.
English Reformation : The 16th-century break between the English church and papal authority, followed by the establishment of a Protestant national church. Puritan demands arose because many considered the Reformation's changes incomplete.
Reformed theology : A Protestant theological tradition shaped by the Reformation, emphasizing biblical authority and doctrines such as predestination. It supplied much of the theological framework shared by Puritan writers and congregations.
William Perkins : An influential English theologian and preacher whose works shaped Puritan devotional and theological writing. His popular writings systematized themes of conscience, calling, and salvation.
English Civil War : A series of armed conflicts from 1642 to 1651 between supporters of Parliament and the royalist cause in England. Religious conflict involving Puritan reformers helped drive the war against Charles I.
Church of England : The established Christian church in England, with its own Protestant doctrine, liturgy, and episcopal government. Puritans sought further reform of this institution rather than accepting its settlement unchanged.
Elizabethan Religious Settlement : The laws and policies established under Elizabeth I that defined the Church of England's Protestant identity and structure. Its retention of bishops and traditional ceremonies became central Puritan objections.
Predestination : The doctrine that God has eternally determined the salvation or condemnation of individuals. Puritan teaching often placed assurance, election, and disciplined conduct within this theological framework.
William Laud : Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645, associated with ceremonial reform and royal authority in the Church of England. Laudian policies intensified conflict with Puritans over worship, bishops, and religious conformity.
Westminster Assembly : A gathering of English and Scottish divines convened by Parliament in 1643 to advise on church reform. Its standards expressed a major Puritan effort to reshape doctrine and worship nationally.
Anglicanism : The Christian tradition associated with the theology, worship, and institutions of the Church of England and related churches. Anglican practices and church structures often diverged from Puritan demands for simpler worship and further reform.
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