When the Pilgrims landed in 1605, we were told that they
were moving to the “new world” to escape religious persecution. But that was
not the case. The real religious persecutions were winding down in the 1400s. Most
of these new Christian denominations chose to emphasize different things and
didn’t want to assimilate. They established homogenous, insular sub-cultures.
Colonies formed according to denomination. Pilgrims banned Quakers.
After the first colonies stabilized and property rights
were available, these European migrants came to own their own land and engage
in trade. The “new world” was rich in resources. They came to be self-reliant,
land-owning farmers. The land in Europe was owned by the “royals” and America
held the promise of land ownership and personal wealth.
Life for most of these European migrants was often short
and unpleasant. They were taught to focus on going to heaven and most were unable
to read or write. The printing press and
the Bible made them literate and that was a big deal.
Most of these European migrants were involved in the
Protestant reformation and were active members of diverse Protestant churches.
Most believed in “divine providence” and they relied on God’s help to succeed.
Pastors were the leaders in these communities. There were several church groups
who sought to retain their “way of life”. All were Bible based, but they all
had different customs and practices.
Puritans wanted the Anglican Church of England to alter its
rituals to be “less Catholic” and remove all decorations from their churches.
The Baptists required adult baptism.
After Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation in 1517 to
oppose Catholic Church abuses and errors and connect the faithful to God directly
through the Scriptures; he emphasized “faith”. The Bible was being translated,
printed and distributed throughout Europe.
Other Christian denominations were established. Henry VIII founded the Anglican Church in
1534. John Calvin’s began his reformation work in France in 1536. Calvin's
religious teachings emphasized the sovereignty of the scriptures and divine
predestination—a doctrine holding that God chooses those who will enter Heaven
based His omnipotence and grace. The Presbyterian Church was founded in
1707 and was based on John Calvin’s work.
The Quakers
formed in 1647 and stressed inclusion. The State of Pennsylvania was founded by William
Penn 1682, as a safe place for Quakers to live and practice their faith.
We are the beneficiaries of these events. The invention of
the printing press and the emphasis on the Bible allowed our ancestors to
become literate with a moral compass. This expanded literacy greatly
accelerated our capability, wellbeing, freedom and individual sovereignty.
Norb
Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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