Puritanism versus Deism: God Near or Far?

Puritanism originally was conceived to purify England. Puritans were divided into two main groups. These groups were the separatists and non-separatists. The Separatists believed that they needed to separate from the Church of England. The Plymouth Colonists are an example of separating Puritans. The other group was the non-separating Puritans. An example of these Puritans was the Massachusetts Bay colony. These Puritans desired to reform the church.

A major belief of the Puritan faith is predestination. Those who believe this way insist that one cannot choose salvation, only God chooses who receives salvation. Puritans believe in order to be saved one must

Deists believe, unlike Puritans that all people are equal and God shows no favor over anyone. “Deists were freethinkers” (Jackson 391). "I freely believe in God as being discovered through nature and reason, rejecting revealed religion and its authority over humanity. I believe that all humans are equal. Further, as God has not shown favor for one people over another and has given us all that we need, that we should follow God's example and give to others as we can" (qtd. as by Robinson 2). This rejects the notion that only a few are elected and claims that all are equal in God’s eyes.

One of the better-known Deists of the 18th century was Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was a Deist. He believed God no longer had a relationship with the world. He did not believe that miracles could happen. Miracles would imply God directly intervening in the affairs of man. Franklin was a standard Deist. So he believed that God created the earth and then left it to run in such a way as a clock maker does. He also believed that all religions are basically the same thing.

Puritans basic beliefs form an acronym known as “TULIP” (Reuben 1). “This stands for total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints” (Mendolia). “Total Depravity means through Adam and Eve’s fall, every person is born sinful” (Reuben 1). This means that every person is born sinful by nature. “Unconditional Election is that God saves those He wishes” (Reuben 1). So this means that God chooses those He wants. It is completely up to him and the elected have nothing to do with it. Limited Atonement means that Jesus died for the chosen only, he did not die for everyone (1). This again states that he only cares for a select few. “Irresistible Grace is God’s grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied. Grace is defined as the saving and transfiguring power of God” (1). This means that we do not have a choice when it comes to God’s grace. “Perseverance of the saints is those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God and to live uprightly” (1). Only the elect have the power to please God. The Puritans belief system is based on TULIP.

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17, 1706. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children. He excelled in reading, in writing, and was poor in math. Franklin only had schooling for two years. He read every book he could after that, believing he could educate himself. When Franklin was twelve, his father sent him to his brother’s print shop. Franklin became a good printer. The newspaper articles he wrote he signed as Mr. Silence Dogood. Franklin became one of the greatest inventors of his time. He was one of the first to experiment with electricity. Franklin flew a kite he had made into a thunderstorm to prove that lightning is electricity. He invented the lightning rod. Franklin became minister to France. Franklin was an incredible man.

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