The New England Way

Professor Murdaco discusses in The Puritans lecture that “the tradition of democratic self-government, the strong religious beliefs of the Puritans has imprinted itself upon American culture.” It was interesting to read about The Puritans as to understand their influence in modern American Political system. There is no doubt that American politics have a powerful religious bend, which conflicts with the core standards which country was founded. I know understand why was it important to study about The Puritans, since their influence seems obvious.

Donna Campbell writes on Puritanism in New England, about a Puritan system called, The New England Way. According to Campbell The New England Way was the system, which the puritan created to organize their churches. They felt that since the political circumstances did not allow the church to be controlled by the sate that would be their alternative approach. According to the article, Harry S. Stout felt that "For God's Word to function freely, and for each member to feel an integral part of the church's operations, each congregation must be self-sufficient, containing within itself all the offices and powers necessary for self-regulation.  New England's official apologist, John Cotton, termed this form of church government 'Congregational,' meaning that all authority would be located within particular congregations" (The New England Soul  17). 

The New England Way’s basics wee that people would dedicate themselves to the community, obey God, and become a self-governing church. The self-governing included requirements of members to testify, proper distribution of power, and male members to vote. “The ultimate authority in both political and religious spheres was God's word,” but members’ pledge, obedience, and discipline was the key to maintaining the system. It was interesting to read how they kept the members from leaving, “Persons leaving without the consent of the body sacrificed not only church membership but also property title, which was contingent on local residence.” Therefore they had too much to loose economically and spiritually to leave the community.