Early Puritanism

Considering its presence among the Wesley family, how might had early Puritanism influenced early Methodism? Do such influences persist? Discuss.

Following the ascension of Elizabeth I to the throne, those who had fled the country during the reign of “Bloody” Mary (so named because of her execution of Protestants) returned with a determination to remove all papal influences from the state religion. According to Richard Heitzenrater in Wesley and the People Called Methodists, “Hence some English Calvinists became known popularly as Puritans and worked to effect reforms that would purify the church of its nonscriptural corruptions.”  In some ways this radical, non-conformist movement influenced early Methodism, especially in the search for personal piety or holiness and in the desire to reform the established church.  As I read about the Puritan belief in stages of Conversion, I could hear echoes of Wesley’s salvation theory of justification and sanctification.  Wesley advocated for the supremacy of scripture in faith. In other ways, Methodism seems a reaction against the Puritan faith, including the belief shared by the Calvinists that some people were “the elect” and others were not.

 

I think some influences of Puritanism still do exist in the United Methodist Church.  When one reads the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church – one of our two doctrinal documents – one hears overt anti-Catholic sentiment.  Our General Rules reflect the call for a personal holiness of life.