Assess the nature and threat posed by Puritanism

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Assess the nature and threat posed by Puritanism

‘Puritanism’, which was first coined in the Vestiarian controversy of the mid 1560s, has not been associated exclusively with a single theology or definition of the church (although many were Calvinists), but there are certain characteristics which can be agreed upon. Puritanism was strongly anti-Catholic; for both Collinson and Lake, Puritans were Protestants, both lay and clerical, whose religious enthusiasm and zeal marked them off from their more lukewarm contemporaries. Paul Christianson limits his definition to ‘the hotter sort of Puritan’ - Presbyterians and hardened nonconformists who would not obey the orders of the bishops yet did not separate themselves from the Church of England (although this meaning does not encompass the end of Elizabeth’s reign, where the presbyterian movement had been destroyed). Lotherington argues, “the Puritans would seek to adapt the regulation set down in 1559 to create a more ‘Godly church’ like the Reformed churches abroad”; to encourage direct personal religious experience, sincere moral conduct, and simple worship services. Elizabeth saw certain types of Puritanism as a threat to her royal authority (religion, to her, was a branch of power politics) and so she tended to view all forms of Puritanism - whether conformist, separatist, presbyterian, moderate, or radical - with suspicion. They tried to reform the Church, first through the Church itself and then through Parliament, before turning to popular local movements such as presbyterianism and prophesying.  

        Warren described Puritans as a “reforming group who saw the 1559 settlement as temporary and endeavored to obtain further installments of reform”. ‘The Godly’, such as Grindal and Cox, failed to recognize Elizabeth’s desire to create a ‘national church’ in her 1559 settlement, and the Vestiarian Controversy of the mid 1560’s describes the movement of these zealots resisting to conform to the conservative rubrics. It seems that many of the reformers were willing to bide their time in the hope that Elizabeth would allow for further measures of reform, but the controversy itself marked an irritation with Elizabeth’s doctrinal stagnancy. Some have argued, for example, that the Vestiarian Controversy was the climax of Puritan opposition in the decade, and posed a significant threat to Elizabeth. In 1563, the bishops petitioned Convocation on issues such as the abolition of holy days, the abolition of organ music, and the surplice could be accepted as sufficient for most services, and were only defeated by one vote, showing the strength for these reforming views within the Church, and the problems that could have faced Elizabeth. The ‘Puritans’ believed vestments were signs that the anti-christ was alive and well in the Church, and the 1563 articles became a trigger for more demand to purge the Church of Catholic ritual. In 1566 Archbishop Parker, on his own authority, but also under pressure from the Queen, issued the Advertisements which laid down fixed rules for the conducts of services and vestments. As a result, 37 of the most able clergy were removed from office. Variations over the interpretations of the new services had still not been settled, and therefore as some historians have argued, ‘represented a challenge to Elizabeth’s supremacy’. During this time Elizabeth’s control seems to have weakened, however, many historians argue that although this was some of the first signs of real discontent amongst Puritans, it was actually the last time the Church was attacked from the inside. argue that although this was some of the first signs of real discontent amongst Puritans, it was actually the last time the Church was attacked from the inside. These bishops also refused to resign as they were worried about letting in the auld enemy, the Catholics, and this was supported by Bullinger who saw that it might jeapordise the future of Protestantism had the Bishops resigned, stating ‘they should obey for the sake of Church unity”. So whilst the Vestiarian Controversy indicated the first sign of real opposition amongst Puritans, and the 1563 articles were only just passed by one vote, it is clear that this was never going to be a huge issue for Elizabeth, as the wiser amongst the Puritan leaders realised that resigning over Parker’s advertisements would simply allow the Catholics in, which would deny them further chance for reform later on in the reign.

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        Next, we should address whether Puritanism can be seen as a political threat. Susan Doran argues that attempts made by Puritans to reform through parliament damaged rather than advanced their cause. This interpretation is supported by the events surrounding the 1571 ‘Alphabet bills’. Bishops hoped that the bills, designed to curb the evils of absenteeism and pluralism, would go through. However, Puritan MP William Strickland tried to yoke that legislation to a prayer book of his own devising which attempted to remove certain Catholic practice, such as the Catholic surplice and black rubric. All it achieved however was Elizabeth’s ...

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