Congregationalism, historically, was the first Protestant denomination in New England, dating back to the tradition of the English Puritans. The Puritans, seeking further reform of the Anglican Church and persecuted in their homeland for their beliefs, were forced to move to English colonies in North America. It was the Puritans who stood at the origins of the colonization of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The religious paradigm of Congregationalists, based on Calvinism and the doctrine of predestination, dominated the political and social life of New England until the end of the 17th century. Congregationalism remained remained the only form of publicly recognized religion in the colonies. New England Puritans adhered to Calvinism in theology, sharing the doctrine of predestination, but in church structure they defended the principle of independence of each parish community (congregation), which gave the name to their denomination. With the advent of Enlightenment, the Puritan hegemony declined and the Congregational Church entered a period of contradictions and splits. Some congregations influenced by liberal ideas rejected Calvinist orthodoxy, while other theologians rejected the doctrine of the Trinity. Today, the direct legacy of Puritanism is represented by a number of independent denominations, including Congregationalists and Unitarians, most of which share a liberal approach to theology.
Key words: Puritans, New England, Congregationalism, denomination, Calvinism, Arminianism, Unitarian Universalism
DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662-2025-2-42-48
About the author
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Daniil V. Ivanov – Master of Philosophy, Postgraduate student at the Department of Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies, Moscow State University; 1 Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia; evdokimushkov@yandex.ru |