What religion does puritan theology relate to?

Answer 1

The Puritan religion was part of the Protestant tradition of Christianity. Puritans were so named because they believed they needed to "purify" Christian practices and remove the elements they believed were pagan or materialistic. They believed the Church of England had lost its way (and the Church of England returned the favor-- Anglicans believed the Puritans were joyless and fanatical). Puritans were influenced by Calvinism-- they believed God had chosen "the elect"-- those who would and would not be saved. They also believed sins must be severely punished (since to sin was to show disrespect for God's law).

In ritual, most Puritans believed in plainness, rather than an elegant and elaborate set of rituals-- they disagreed with Catholic and Anglican (Episcopalian) worship, and thought a Christian religious service should be simple and direct; they also thought that one's clothing should be simple -- not too colorful or showy. They opposed most secular entertainment such as gambling, and they did not even approve of celebrating holidays like Christmas. On the other hand, they elevated family life and stressed the importance of the husband and wife raising pious and disciplined children.