General Information about the Puritans
The Puritans where a group of reformers who where discontent with the Church of England. Too much power where in the hands of priests, bishops and cardinals. They wanted to purify the church from man-made doctrines and political struggles, stressing the Bible as only authority, individual prayer, holiness and greater participation of the congregation in church affairs.
Their attempts to reform the church from within where met with great opposition and, in some cases, persecution. Puritanism spread as many emigrated and settled in New England, but also spread to Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands.
Some of the names included here cannot strictly be classified as puritans, but their life and writing reveals that they are of the same mold as that of the puritans.
à Brakel, Wilhelmus
Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635–1711), a contemporary of Voetius and Witsius, was a major representative of the Dutch Further Reformation (known in Dutch as De Nadere Reformatie). This movement was contemporaneous with and greatly influenced by English Puritanism.
Bunyan, John
John Bunyan (28 November 1628 – 31 August 1688) was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress.
Calvin, John
John Calvin (Middle French: Jean Cauvin; 10 July 1509 – 27 May 1564) was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. His teaching and writings provided the theological groundwork for protastantism and greatly influenced the puritans.
Edwards, Jonathan
Jonathan Edwards (October 5, 1703 – March 22, 1758) was a preacher, theologian, and missionary to Native Americans. Edwards "is widely acknowledged to be America's most important and original philosophical theologian," and one of America's greatest intellectuals.
Luther, Martin
Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest and professor of theology who initiated the Protestant Reformation.
Owen, John
John Owen(1616 – 24 August 1683) by common consent the weightiest Puritan theologian, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, and Dean of Christ Church, Oxford's largest college.
Pink, Arthur Walkington
Arthur Walkington Pink (1 April 1886 – 15 July 1952) was an English Christian evangelist and Biblical scholar known for his Puritan-like teachings.
Sibbes, Richard
Richard Sibbes (or Sibbs) (1577–1635) was an English theologian. He is known as a Biblical exegete, and as a representative, with William Perkins and John Preston, of what has been called "main-line" Puritanism.
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon
Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was a British Particular Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers". Greatly influenced by the puritans.
Watson, Thomas
Thomas Watson (c. 1620—1686) was an English, non-conformist, Puritan preacher and author.