to the Book of Common Prayer. Under Elizabeth and for much of the 17th
century, it was illegal not to go to church; this legal requirement was instituted
to enforce “conformity.” The king or queen was declared by Parliament “the
supreme governor” of the Church of England. Anglican theologians who
emphasize this government supervision of the church are called “Erastians.”
In 1628, the king forbade public debate on the interpretation of the 39
Articles, thus allowing Arminians and others to sign them under their own
preferred interpretation.
The Puritans were Reformed theologians who wanted to further reform the
Church of England according to the word of God, purifying it of residual
Roman Catholic or “popish” customs. The Puritans’ argument initially
focused on ceremonial practices of the Church of England required by
the government. Puritanism began
with the Vestiarian controversy in the
1560s, when some of Elizabeth’s clergy
objected to the use of traditional Catholic
vestments. Other customs to which
Puritans objected included making the
sign of the cross, kneeling to receive
communion, and observing holy days
other than the Sabbath. The crucial
theological issue was whether the church
had the right to make rules and customs that were not required in scripture.
Richard Hooker, the most important theologian of the Anglican tradition,
wrote The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity defending the church’s right to
decide for itself concerning adiaphora, that is, matters not required by faith.
Puritan ministers who would not observe the regulations of the Church of
England were called non-conformists.
Puritans also argued against the worldliness of the clergy. The Puritans, who
were among the most learned theologians of England, objected to worldly
and ill-educated parish priests. Their concern for church discipline (for
example, the duty of a minister to exclude drunkards and adulterers from
communion) led to their reputation as kill-joys.
The Puritans, who were
among the most learned
theologians of England,
objected to worldly and ill-
educated parish priests.