scholarship have emerged since Geoffrey Nuttall declared over sixty years ago,
“Puritan mysticism is a field still almost entirely unexplored.”^51 Broadly speaking, I
envision Puritan mysticism as the grateful and loving beholding of God through
God’s mighty acts and Scripture, in which one experiences union and deepening
communion with Jesus Christ through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
While there has been no critical study on Puritan mysticism, a handful of articles and
dissertations have begun the much-needed examination of this significant topic.
However, some skeptics might raise the question why should such a scorned and
misunderstood topic as Puritan mysticism be explored when it is fraught with such
little clarity. Further, why perpetuate the confusion by asking whether there could be
a legitimate expression of Puritan mysticism? However, there are at least three valid
reasons for examining the question of Puritan mysticism. First, a careful examination
into the theological foundation of Puritan spiritual practices and the resulting spiritual
texts and experiences will assist in revealing a more accurate picture of a frequently
denigrated and grossly misconstrued tradition. This rehabilitation would provide a
more accurate and balanced understanding of a significant movement of the sixteenth
and seventeenth-centuries. Second, to include Puritanism within the conversation
with other Christian traditions regarding mysticism elevates the validity and
authenticity of Puritan piety. There are those within the Reformed tradition who are
apologetic or even embarrassed when discussing the topic of spirituality. Due to
historical amnesia many contemporary Reformed Christians are unaware of the
richness of their spiritual roots. The greater the attention of scholars to Puritan piety
the more these forgotten but valued principles can be reclaimed. Third, an awareness
of the distinctions of Puritan mysticism can expand the conversation within the larger
(^51) Nuttall, Holy Spirit in Puritan Faith (^) , 146.