What was the relationship of the church and the state in the purtain society?

Answer 1

The church was the state in a Puritan society.

Puritans were followers of the teachings of Calvin and believed that man was born in sin and we all bore the guilt of Adam and Eve. To become saved, we would have to prove we were worthy while here on earth. To be worthy one would prosper, be faithful, and lead a successful life. Instead of separating from the Church of England, the Puritans wanted to "purify" the Church of the influence of the Catholic Church, thus the name, Puritans. Puritans wanted to remove themselves from non-Puritans. They sought to set up a theocracy in the New World. The earliest Americans were those Puritans.

The earliest life in Massachusetts was ruled by the Puritans. The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony believed that all mankind was condemned to eternal damnation except for the "Elect", a precious few who were granted salvation. The Elect were bound to oversee the enforcement of God's laws in society. They were uncompromising in their moral and theological principles. Their concern with proper behavior led to a diligent and extremely intrusive interest in the activity of their neighbors. That early Puritan society eventually failed and people drew away from stringent religious control over daily life through religious influenced law.

The Massachusetts Body of Liberties was the first legal code established in New England and was established by Puritan colonists. It was adopted by the General Court in 1641. It was revoked and replaced with English Common Law in 1684.

It included the following laws:

• If any man after legall conviction shall have or worship any other god, but the lord god, he shall be put to death.
• If any person shall Blaspheme the name of god, the father, Sonne or Holie Ghost, with direct, expresse, presumptuous or high handed blasphemie, or shall curse god in the like manner, he shall be put to death.
• If any man lyeth with mankinde as he lyeth with a woeman, both of them have committed abhomination, they both shall surely be put to death.
• If any person committeth Adultery with a maried or espoused wife, the Adulterer and Adulteresse shall surely be put to death.

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Since the US Constitution was written and adopted by people who intended to separate church and state, mainstream religious leaders have been trying to regain their control over life in America. Religious groups are not as zealous in other Western countries in trying to force religious doctrine into civil laws. Europe broke away from the pope's control hundreds of years ago and is more vigilant about religious interference into government.

Answer 2

In Puritan society, the relationship between the church and the state was very close. The Puritans believed in a theocratic form of government, where religious leaders held considerable influence over political matters. The state supported and enforced the strict religious beliefs and practices of the Puritan church, and church members were typically expected to participate in government affairs.