worlds of wonder, days of judgment

This week for my Colonial America seminar, I read a book by David Hall named "Worlds of Wonder, Days of Judgment." It was a really interesting book for me and gave me a deeper understanding of Puritan culture. Some things I learned:

• on the separation of church and state. Massachusetts Bay colony had a law that clergy couldn't be elected officials in the government. so, in that way, the church and state were separate entities, with the church not having direct political power. However, the magistrates (and any person who wanted the right to vote) were (until 1692) required to be Puritan members of the church. There was no state church, but outside religions were not tolerated.
  
• Puritanism was (like many Protestant sects) based on the idea that the Bible should be available in the vernacular (not just Latin) and that it should be available to all church members. They believed the Word to be inspired by God, and looked to it for guidance.
• Puritans were convinced that catastrophes or miracles were portents, or signs from God. Everything that happened, from sudden death or sickness to thunder and lightening to comets was to be read as a sign from God of pleasure or judgment. Of course, different people had different ideas about what these portents signified.
• Rituals associated with paganism or Catholicism were not tolerated. That meant: no Christmas, no Easter, no icons, no sacraments beyond baptism and communion. Puritans believed that particular space or time was not holy - thus plain churches and no holidays. Every day was to be devoted to God, not just special ones.
• There was a lot of white magic that remained. People were quite superstitious, and not necessarily in "Christian" ways. Witchcraft was clearly unwelcome, but people believed in magic for the most part.
• Death was a huge part of colonial America, and for Puritans, it was very important how one died. Did one die with the name of Christ on his or her lips? Did one confess one's sins and make peace with God before the end? To this end, public executions were community spectacles - sermons were preached, the condemned was urged to make his or her peace with God, and those who "died well" were almost admired by the faithful. The purpose was to make them see their sin and turn to God in the last hour. Confession was a huge part of the culture in general, and executions were no exception. To confess one's guilt was part of the process of gaining eternal salvation.
• Not all Puritans were devoted Christians. Baby baptism was a huge part of Puritan culture (even though the clergy opposed this, arguing that baptism did not save someone). Once baptized, a person would then have to make a confession of faith and become a member as an adult. Many did not do this (most in fact). Although nearly everyone considered themselves Christians, the pious ideal was not widely adhered to. Very common was the act of becoming a member when children were born (so that the children would be born into the covenant). The cycle would then continue - the children would be baptized and hold off joining the church til it became absolutely necessary (although many never joined).

These same Puritans were the ones involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692 a fact that is deeply troubling to me. In addition, I find myself identifying with much of the mindset of these people, and yet there are also ways in which I am fundamentally different from them. I think the biggest thing I took away from the book was the sense in which in many ways Christianity is much the same today. There is the ideal Christian, the one about whom books are written and who people look up to and admire. Then there is the reality. Backsliding, ups and downs of life, and "wonders" that cause many to rethink the way in which they had been living. Of course, we are very different than these people who feared Christmas, hunted "witches," and celebrated hangings...and yet, I think in the big picture little has changed.