English Puritans: Their History, Theology, Practice, and Joy English Puritan Devotional
Abstract
This research focuses on the English Puritans’ history, theology, religious practice, and joy. The historical context of the group is crucial to understanding their literature and culture. They lived in a time where they were persecuted for their strict beliefs, fighting for their idea of the purity of God’s word. Their theology came out of the Reformation and continued to evolve as scholars and theologians expounded on texts of the Bible. The theology that they held dear bled into the practice of their religion that undoubtedly had joy. My textual analysis of The Valley of Vision shows the Puritans’ hearts towards their God and the joy they found in him. The text supports the claim stated in the historical research that argues for their joy despite their strict practice. Following the historical research and textual analysis is an 8-week devotional based off of Puritan literature. Each week focuses on a different Puritan, containing a biography, excerpts from their work, my commentary, and a bible verse that applies to the text.
