Puritans

• Puritanical was a stricter form of calvinist protestantosm aiming to purify the churchif England from Catholic elements
• Common puritan beliefs - strong anti catholicism, heavy focus on preaching and scripture
• Conformist puritans

  • Stayed within the church of England, accepting compromise to maintain loyalty and national unity
  • Wanted further reform but worked within Elizabeth's church structure
  • Found compromise difficult but didnt opposed the queen directly
• Presbyterians

  • Rejected bishops and archbishop as unbilical and too Catholic
  • They wanted church government by elders with a national structure and synods
  • Threatened royal and aristocratic control over church
• Separatists -

  • Believed the church was beyond saving
  • Wanted completely independent congregations each forming a church through shared beliefs
  • Viewed as radicals and dangerous by authorities
  • Saw themselves as a faithful minority