Why did Puritans think that both the government and church have a common purpose of promoting morality?

Answer 1

In the time of the Puritans- the government was the church. The Puritans believed that the civil government should strictly enforce public morality. Although they came to America so they could enjoy "religious freedom", they had no intention of giving the right of religious freedom to any other group. They believed that society should be strictly governed according to the principles set forth in the Old Testament. Puritan life was extremely harsh and the Puritan leaders of the first settlements used extremely harsh methods to govern.

They sought out the New World as a place to practice a more pure form of their religion, more pure than the Church of England. Their practices and religious way of life were more "Jewish" than those of modern day Christians. In fact, it is this early biblical influence that generated the modern day Christian myth that our country was founded on biblical principles. It was not. The Puritans were a short-lived leaders that society rejected and our country was "founded" by men of the Enlightenment in a culture that was becoming more secular 150 years later. However, the Puritans were absorbed by later religious groups and the Puritan ethics became part of the New England culture.

The Puritans 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 interest in the activity of their neighbors.

The following are examples from the Massachusetts Body of Liberties (laws of Massachusetts Colony) established in 1641:

• 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.

They viewed civil and religious life as inseparable and enforced public morality through the prohibition of any activity they associated with vice: drunkenness, gambling, ostentatious clothing, swearing, etc. Failure to observe the Sabbath was severely punished. They banned any religious ritual related to the Roman Catholic Church. The harsh Puritanism of the first settlers was quickly rejected as a way of life as the colonies grew and people of other denominations came to Early America. Fortunately, the Founders of the America we know today were more influenced by the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment.