To Live Ancient Lives

The Primitivist Dimension in Puritanism

By Theodore Dwight Bozeman | Publisher: Omohundro Institute and UNC Press

About the book

To Live Ancient Lives signals a sharp redirection of Puritan studies. It provides the first comprehensive study of Puritan primitivism, defined as the drive to recover and return to church and society the ordinances of biblical times. This work traces a campaign to purify English Christianity of postapostolic accretions from the Henrician Reformation to the Great Migration of 1630 and through the first five decades in New England.

Taking their bearings from a special past, Puritans were not concerned with the future in a modern sense. The Great Migration was not intended as an errand to reform the world or inaugurate the millennium, but as a flight to a free world in which long-lost biblical rules and ways could be reinstituted.

Drawing on hundreds of sermons and tracts, Bozeman demonstrates how the search for the long-lost helps to identify Puritanism as a discrete order within Protestant dissent, and he locates that movement within the larger spectrum of restorationist Christian movements and of Western mythology.

Originally published in 1988.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Editions of To Live Ancient Lives

Hardcover
ISBN 9780807817858
Paperback
ISBN 9780807896273
EBook
ISBN 9781469600093
EBook
ISBN 9781469615783
EBook
ISBN 9798890865236
PDF
ISBN 9798890865229

Read an Excerpt

To Live Ancient Lives signals a sharp redirection of Puritan studies. It provides the first comprehensive study of Puritan primitivism, defined as the drive to recover and return to church and society the ordinances of biblical times. This work traces a campaign to purify English Christianity of postapostolic accretions from the Henrician Reformation to the Great Migration of 1630 and through the first five decades in New England.

Taking their bearings from a special past, Puritans were not concerned with the future in a modern sense. The Great Migration was not intended as an errand to reform the world or inaugurate the millennium, but as a flight to a free world in which long-lost biblical rules and ways could be reinstituted.

Drawing on hundreds of sermons and tracts, Bozeman demonstrates how the search for the long-lost helps to identify Puritanism as a discrete order within Protestant dissent, and he locates that movement within the larger spectrum of restorationist Christian movements and of Western mythology.

Originally published in 1988.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is To Live Ancient Lives about?

To Live Ancient Lives signals a sharp redirection of Puritan studies. It provides the first comprehensive study of Puritan primitivism, defined as the drive to recover and return to church and society the ordinances of biblical times. This work traces a campaign to purify English Christianity of postapostolic accretions from the Henrician Reformation to the Great Migration of 1630 and through the first five decades in New England.

Taking their bearings from a special past, Puritans were not concerned with the future in a modern sense. The Great Migration was not intended as an errand to reform the world or inaugurate the millennium, but as a flight to a free world in which long-lost biblical rules and ways could be reinstituted.

Drawing on hundreds of sermons and tracts, Bozeman demonstrates how the search for the long-lost helps to identify Puritanism as a discrete order within Protestant dissent, and he locates that movement within the larger spectrum of restorationist Christian movements and of Western mythology.

Originally published in 1988.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in To Live Ancient Lives?

Philosophy and Religion > Religion and beliefs > Christianity

Where can I read a sample of To Live Ancient Lives?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807817858

How long is To Live Ancient Lives and how many pages does it have?

To Live Ancient Lives has 424 page(s)

Is To Live Ancient Lives part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press

Who is/are the Author/s of the book To Live Ancient Lives?

Theodore Dwight Bozeman

Who is the Publisher of the book To Live Ancient Lives?

Omohundro Institute and UNC Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

To Live Ancient Lives is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807817858) and paperback(ISBN 9780807896273) and ebook(ISBN 9781469600093) and ebook(ISBN 9781469615783) and ebook(ISBN 9798890865236) and pdf(ISBN 9798890865229)

Where can I buy To Live Ancient Lives online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy To Live Ancient Lives from below

Where can I buy To Live Ancient Lives?