Podcasts about puritan new england

We kick off a new arc with the works of director Robert Eggers, focusing on his debut feature film 'The Witch.' We explore the psychological and supernatural elements of this chilling 2015 horror film, set in 17th-century Puritan New England, that has since become a modern classic. Join us as we analyze the cultural impact, historical accuracy, religious undertones, and cinematographic artistry that makes 'The Witch' stand out. This discussion also touches on Eggers' meticulous research, the film's young breakout star Anya Taylor-Joy, and comparisons with other horror masterpieces. Prepare for an in-depth exploration of one of the most unsettling films of the last decade. Get 10% off your Ridge wallet by using code FP at https://www.Ridge.com/FP

Many in Puritan New England were confident that the future of the church was one of increasing success. Meanwhile, few were concerned about dangerous ideas infiltrating the church. Today, W. Robert Godfrey examines this tension. With your donation of any amount, request American Presbyterians and Revival: Lessons from the Nineteenth Century. You'll receive W. Robert Godfrey's teaching series on DVD, plus lifetime digital access to the messages and study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/3941/donate   Meet Today's Teacher:   W. Robert Godfrey is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and chairman of Ligonier Ministries. He is president emeritus and professor emeritus of church history at Westminster Seminary California. He is the featured teacher for many Ligonier teaching series, including the six-part series A Survey of Church History. He is author of many books, including God's Pattern for Creation, Reformation Sketches, and An Unexpected Journey.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of ministry engagement for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, host of the Ask Ligonier podcast, and a graduate of Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne, Australia. Nathan joined Ligonier in 2012 and lives in Central Florida with his wife and four children. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Why does the Reverend Mr. Hooper mysteriously don a black veil and never take if off in public?  Nathaniel Hawthorne, today on The Classic Tales Podcast.  Welcome to this Vintage Episode of The Classic Tales Podcast. Thank you for listening.  A Vintage Episode is released every Tuesday. If you have found value in the show, please help us to help more people like you by going to http://classictalesaudiobooks.com, and becoming a supporter. New stories are coming your way on Friday.  Keep an ear open for our Kickstarter for The Golden Triangle – the seventh novel in the Arsène Lupin series. Two boxed sets are now available. We'll let you know when we're ready to kick off.  Dealing with the concepts of sin, repentance and morality, and set in Puritan New England, the veil in today's story is a critique of the Puritan's concept of original sin. The acrimonious reaction of the townspeople to the minister's behavior easily lends itself to exploring these concepts. I hope you like it.   And now, The Minister's Black Veil, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Follow this link to become a monthly supporter:   Follow this link to subscribe to our YouTube Channel:   Follow this link to subscribe to the Arsène Lupin Podcast:   Follow this link to follow us on Instagram:   Follow this link to follow us on Facebook:    

Author Garrard Conley published his first book in 2016, "Boy Erased". The bestselling memoir, relaying Conley's experience undergoing conversion therapy at 19, inspired a major motion picture two years later. This hour, Conley discusses his newest book and his first foray into fiction. "All the World Beside" explores queerness in Puritan New England. Set in 1700s Massachusetts and inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," an affair unfolds between Arthur Lyman, a physician, and Nathaniel Whitfield, a reverend. GUESTS: Garrard Conley: Author, All the World Beside and Boy Erased Cat Pastor contributed to this episode which originally aired April 4.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cotton Mather was a third generation minister born into Puritan royalty, a nepo baby long before anyone had ever used the term. But his involvement in the Salem witch trials — and defense of the trials afterward — led to his eventual vilification. We're joined by Professor Rick Kennedy who helps us sort through Mather's complex role in Puritan New England.  Learn about Rick Kennedy Learn about Rick Kennedy's book The First American Evangelical: A Short Life of Cotton Mather Rick Kennedy's latest book is Winds of Santa Ana: Pilgrim Stories of the California Bight Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter. and TikTok Learn about Greg Houle's forthcoming book, The Putnams of Salem: A Novel of Power and Betrayal During the Salem Witch Trials

Pete Cross performs Garrard Conley's debut novel of a star-crossed love affair. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Kendra Winchester discuss this beautifully devastating story of love between minister Nathaniel Whitfield and physician Arthur Lyman in Puritan New England. Cross's narration captures the intense relationship between the two men; he performs their dialogue with deep emotion. As the two men's families begin to suspect their secret, Cross imbues his performance with tension, communicating both families' anxiety and feelings of helplessness. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Penguin Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. Support for AudioFile's Sound Reviews comes from Hachette Audio, and the audiobook edition of RELENTLESS by Luis A Miranda Jr, featuring a foreword read by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda. To find out more about this, and any other Hachette Audio productions, please visit www.hachetteaudio.com, or @HachetteAudio This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garrard Conley's memoir Boy Erased chronicled his upbringing as a Baptist preacher's son and his experience being sent to conversion therapy. His new novel, All The World Beside, explores similar themes of faith, love and queer identity — but through the lens of a relationship between two men in Puritan New England. In today's episode, Conley speaks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about how fiction allowed him to actually provide even more autobiographical details than a memoir, and how writing this book grounded him in his relationship to Christianity. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

A tale of sin, stigma, and redemption in 17th century Puritan New England

Ever since the days of Puritan New England, American governments have struggled to define the relationship between religion and a secular nation. In recent years, that struggle has become increasingly strident with the rise of the Christina Right. What is the relationship between the Christian Right and traditional evangelicals? At what point did the Christian Right become an influence in US presidential elections? And who were the key players in that development? Historian Dan Hummel will take us into the world of the Christian Right and its influence in American politics.

Author Garrard Conley published his first book in 2016, "Boy Erased". The bestselling memoir, relaying Conley's experience undergoing conversion therapy at 19, inspired a major motion picture two years later. This hour, Conley discuss his newest book and his first foray into fiction. "All the World Beside" explores queerness in Puritan New England. Set in 1700s Massachusetts and inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," an affair unfolds between Arthur Lyman, a physician, and Nathaniel Whitfield, a reverend. GUESTS: Garrard Conley: Author, All the World Beside and Boy Erased Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Scarlet Letter is classic tale in American literature that that many of you know of. It was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne back in 1850, And it's a story about a mother, living in the heart of Puritan New England, who is punished by her neighbors because she had a child with a man who was not her…

As a parent, it's extremely easy to get very focused on “doing it right.” Which means, usually, doing what is considered “right” in your particular time and cultural context. And sometimes, amid this pressure, we need a little perspective. Human history is long, and what is considered right has changed a lot. Today on ParentData, we're joined by author Jennifer Traig, who offers this perspective in spades. Her book “Act Natural: A Cultural History of Misadventures in Parenting” is a history of parenting (or at least child-rearing) from ancient Rome to Puritan New England to Dr. Spock. We've done it a lot of ways and we're all still here…so we must be doing something right. Subscribe to ParentData.org for free access to new articles every week on data-driven pregnancy and parenting.

New York Times bestselling memoirist turned novelist, Garrard Conley, spoke with me about going from activist to fictionist, the isolation of being an artist, and his debut novel All the World Beside. Garrard Conley is the New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Boy Erased, as well as the creator and co-producer of the podcast UnErased: The History of Conversion Therapy in America. His memoir became a major motion picture starring Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Lucas Hedges, directed by Joel Edgerton. His debut novel is titled All the World Beside and described as “... an electrifying, deeply moving novel about the love story between two men in Puritan New England.” Tess Gunty, National Book Award-winning author of Rabbit Hutch, called the book an “... accomplishment of breathtaking prose, expert pacing, and extraordinary psychological intelligence...” Garth Greenwell wrote, “... this novel contains some of the finest writing I've encountered in recent American fiction.” Garrard's work has been published by The New York Times, Oxford American, Time, and Virginia Quarterly Review, among others. Conley is a graduate of Brooklyn College's MFA program, where he was a Truman Capote Fellow specializing in fiction, and he is an assistant professor of creative writing at Kennesaw State University. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Garrard Conley and I discussed: What it was like to work with Radiolab on a podcast Setting out to write “The Queer Scarlett Letter” His intense historical research process  How he inhabits his stories Why writers can't skimp on what the audience wants How to un-Tik-Tok-ify your brain And a lot more! Show Notes: garrardconley.com All the World Beside: A NOVEL By Garrard Conley (Amazon) Garrard Conley Amazon Author Page Garrard Conley on Instagram Garrard Conley on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the height of Puritan New England, Captain John Turner the First, built a home for his family on the coast of Massachusetts Bay. This simple two-story, two-room home circled a tall chimney to keep in the warmth during the chilly winters.The house would expand considerably over the coming years and features would be added, removed, and added back again to match various styles over the decades, but its famed “seven gables” would become the home's most iconic feature.In this episode of the true hauntings podcast we take you to Salem and one of the most famous landmarks in that city THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES as we dig into its history of ghostly residents.Consider supporting our work by buying us a "cup of coffee" https://www.buymeacoffee.com/anneandrenataORbecome a Grand Poobah Patreon supporter, and join our inner circle of craziness!https://www.patreon.com/anneandrenataJoin us on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/TrueHauntingsPodcastP.S. If you want more Anne and Renata - catch our PODCAST - Diary of a Ghost Hunter on all the best streaming platforms to find out what our life as female ghost hunters is really like (no Bullsh*t).NOW we also have SERIOUSLY WEIRD on our YouTube Channel just because we LOVE story telling and who doesn't love a seriously weird spooky story!Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel as we are wanting to get more views and engagement and check out our travel videos Frightfully Good MisadventuresAlso Follow Anne and Renata:Facebook: @AnneAndRenataInstagram: @AnneAndRenataYouTube: @AnneAndRenataTikTok: @AnneAndRenata#anneandrenata #ghosts #hauntings #paranormalpodcast #frightfullygood #salemusa #hauntedUSA #paranormalstories #turneringersollhouse #houseofthesevengables #hauntedhouseusa #houseofthesevengablessalem #hauntedhistory #hauntings #hauntedholiday #hauntingsinsalem #frightfullygoodstories #frightfullygoodinvestigations #diaryofaghosthunter #paranormalinvestigators #paranormalpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SO MANY SPOILERS ALERT!  8 years worth of spoilers, if we are being truthful.  Sit down with Scarlet and Blackbird as they take you on a journey through one of their most beloved films, The VVitch, directed by Robert Eggers and starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie, Ralph Ineson and Harvey Scrimshaw.   Set in Puritan New England, this folk tale is about so much more than its title.  Join the witches on a frightening, zealot-infested cult hoedown as we find out what TRUE horror really looks like, and what perpetrates it.  Trust, we want to live deliciously at all times, and that does not include traveling back to 1630.  

Synopsis On today's date in 1934, the audience at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City demanded—and got—50 curtain calls for the cast and conductor of the new opera that had just received its premiere staged performance. The opera was Merry Mount, based on a Nathaniel Hawthorne short story set in a Puritan colony in 17th century New England. The music was by the American composer Howard Hanson. The performers for Met Opera's premiere included the great American baritone Lawrence Tibbett as the Puritan preacher Wrestling Bradford, sorely tempted by the Swedish soprano Gösta Ljungberg in the role of Lady Marigold Sandys, his VERY unwilling leading lady. Despite its setting in Puritan New England, Hanson's opera included plenty of the lurid sex and violence that fuels the all the best Romantic opera plots, and the score was in Hanson's most winning Neo-Romantic style, with rich choral and orchestral writing, capped by a fiery conflagration as a grand finale. What more could an opera audience want? Strangely enough, despite its tremendous first-night success, Merry Mount has seldom—if ever—been staged since 1934. To celebrate the centenary of Hanson's birth in 1996, the Seattle Symphony presented Merry Mount in a concert performance conducted by Gerard Schwarz. Music Played in Today's Program Howard Hanson (1896-1981) Merry Mount Suite Seattle Symphony; Gerard Schwarz, conductor. Delos 3105

On the podcast this week, the novelist Robert Harris talks to Susan Gray about his latest book, Act of Oblivion. The novel takes place in the aftermath of the English Civil War, and swings between Restoration England and pre-Independence, Puritan New England. “A huge manhunt was started: 59 people signed the death warrant of Charles I, and there were about 30 left alive,” Harris says. “They were wanted, together with anyone who had sat as a judge on the King. A manhunt would make good structure for a novel, especially if I could invent a manhunter-in-chief: someone must have co-ordinated this hunt which went on across the Continent and throughout England.” The book is reviewed in this week's 12-page Christmas Books supplement, and a write up of the interview also appears. Robert Harris is the author of 15 best-selling novels, including Fatherland, Conclave, Munich, and The Second Sleep (Books, 29 November 2019). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Act of Oblivion is published by Hutchinson Heinemann at £22 (Church Times Bookshop £19.80); 978-1-5291-5175-6. Music for the podcast is by Twisterium. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader

Jennie and Dianne delve into the spiritual beliefs of the Puritans and how those beliefs made them fear death, but also brought comfort in times of grief. We discuss how these beliefs affected their dress, daily living, death rituals and burial. These Ordinary Extraordinary were constantly preached to about death being as much a part of their life as living. As Puritan minister Cotton Matther once wrote, "Let us look upon everything as a sort of Death's Head set before us, with a memento mortis written upon it.”To donate $5 to the Sleepy Hollow Historic Cemetery Fund, please follow this link: https://gofund.me/062c87d8To learn how to become involved with Wreaths Across America, please follow this link: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/Resources used to research this episode include:Editors, History.Com. "The Puritans ." https://www.history.com/. 30 July 2019. www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/puritanism#:~:text=Puritans%3A%20A%20Definition,-The%20roots%20of&text=Although%20the%20epithet%20first%20emerged,a%20state%20Church%20of%20England. Accessed 13 Nov. 2022.Mueller, Jennifer. "Why the Puritans Didn't Like the Roman Catholic Church ." https://classroom.synonym.com. classroom.synonym.com/puritans-didnt-like-roman-catholic-church-9303.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2022.Kizer, Kay. "Puritans." https://www3.nd.edu. www3.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/puritans.html. Accessed 13 Nov. 2022.Funerals, Phaneuf. "FUNERAL TRADITIONS IN COLONIAL NEW ENGLAND ." https://phaneuf.net. 19 June 2015. phaneuf.net/blog/funeral-traditions-in-colonial-new-england#:~:text=In%20an%20effort%20to%20turn,to%20be%20gathered%20and%20published. Accessed 13 Nov. 2022.Present , The Historic . "When did “Puritan New England” die out? ." https://thehistoricpresent.com. 3 Jan. 2012. thehistoricpresent.com/2012/01/03/when-did-puritan-new-england-die-out/. Accessed 13 Nov. 2022.Melville, Greg. Over My Dead Body Unearthing the Hidden History of America's Cemeteries. 1st ed., 2022. New York , Abrams Press, 2022, pp. 23-35.Stannard, David E. The Puritan Way of Death a Study in Religion, Culture, and Social Change . 1977. New York , Oxford University Press, 1979, pp. 33-60.Fury, Daniel . If These Stones Could Speak The History and People of the Old Salem Burying Point. 1st ed., Salem, Black Cat Tours Press, 2021, pp. 23-25.

Many in Puritan New England were confident that the future of the church was one of increasing glory and success. All the while, few were concerned about dangerous ideas infiltrating the church. Today, W. Robert Godfrey examines this tension. Get W. Robert Godfrey's New Teaching Series 'American Presbyterians and Revival' on DVD with a Digital Study Guide for Your Gift of Any Amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/2303/american-presbyterians-revival Don't forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources.

We're traveling back to Puritan New England for this weeks episode, and we have a guest!! Joining us this week is long-time friend of Aaron and one very busy lady, Corrie!! She certainly brings her knowledge of history and all things spooky and was a true pleasure to have as a guest. So join us as we ponder Black Phillips best asked question, "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?" If you'd like to hear more of Corrie, check out her other podcasts here: Spotify Happy Harvest Horror Show: https://open.spotify.com/show/526RjouCmBKWE47F6fXcJW?si=b5fd587ca7084c0f The Art History Babes: https://open.spotify.com/show/18lmQTUvzimzESNGqivRfg?si=018cedd083ac4801 Apple Happy Harvest Horror Show:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-harvest-horror-show/id1528656936 The Art History Babes:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-history-babes/id1123488172 Follow our Social Media pages: Twitter: @CinecalP TikTok: @CinecalMoviePod

Timon Cline is a lawyer and historian in New Jersey who specializes in the history of Puritan New England. We've heard a lot about the religious life of the time, but we don't know nearly so much about their laws and society. Today we talk about misconceptions of Puritanism, their influences, and how they were closer in many ways to Medieval society than we imagine.  Timon Cline's essays Three Cheers for Cultural Christianity Religion is Downstream from Technology, p. 1 John Cotton, Protestant Integralist Is Nationalism Natural?

“A Protestant Integralism? Lessons from Puritan New England” with Timon Cline Law Clerk (Office of New Jersey Attorney General)

Hello!Join local Salem tour guides Sarah Black and Jeffrey Lilley as they talk about the Witch House. Also known as the Jonathan Corwin House, it is the only structure here in Witch City with direct ties to those infamous trials. Dating back to 1642 and now preserved as a historic house museum, it is a great glimpse into what life was like in Puritan New England.Resourceshttps://www.thewitchhouse.org/You know what to do:www.salemthepodcast.comInstagram - @salemthepodcast Email - hello@salemthepodcast.comYoutube - Salem The PodcastBook a tour with Sarahwww.bewitchedtours.comBook a tour with Jeffreywww.btftours.comIntro/Outro Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-facesLicense code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

Hello! Join local Salem tour guides Sarah Black and Jeffrey Lilley as they talk about the Witch House. Also known as the Jonathan Corwin House, it is the only structure here in Witch City with direct ties to those infamous trials. Dating back to 1642 and now preserved as a historic house museum, it is a great glimpse into what life was like in Puritan New England. Resources https://www.thewitchhouse.org/ You know what to do: www.salemthepodcast.com Instagram - @salemthepodcast Email - hello@salemthepodcast.com Youtube - Salem The Podcast Book a tour with Sarah www.bewitchedtours.com Book a tour with Jeffrey www.btftours.com Intro/Outro Music from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/unfamiliar-faces License code: NGSBY7LA1HTVAUJE

Once the relationship between the Puritan New England colonies and the their Puritan counterparts had begun, there was a lot of opportunity for both regions. One obstacle that had to be overcome was the temptation for northerners to relocate to the warmer south. The final voyage of Captain William Pierce would resolve any temptation for population migration on the part of the northern colonists. It was also one of the final solidifying events of Bostonian hegemony. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

Puritan New England, more specifically, Massachusetts Bay, never experienced a lack of colonists. Their population exploded almost from the start. What they did experience was a lack of hard currency. Even with all the natural resources and commercial opportunities it took a while to establish a stable economy. With the advent of trade between Boston and the Caribbean the economy took off. Although there were a lot of connections between the Northern colonies and their Southern counterparts, it took the vision and actions of one man to make these connections work for the financial advantage of New England. That man was Captain William Pierce. In this episode we'll meet Captain Pierce, a most remarkable and influential man who has been largely lost to history. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

As Puritan New England's population grew, they needed a sustainable economy. They needed an industry that could build wealth. They needed a commodity and a currency. For a season, those needs were met by wampum and fur. Although that economy would fail, it, like the initial trade triangle of codfish and wool, would help to stabilize their growing society for a time. It was a most necessary stop-gap that helped to carry them until trade routes were developed that brought hard currency, gold, and silver to the colony. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

They say necessity is the key to invention. The English colonies had needs. They were very resourceful. As we develop the Puritan economy, we want to begin by asking some basic questions. How would you build an economy from scratch? What would you do if you had limited access to hard currency but needed commodities? Is it enough to say you would use what you had? Puritan New England enjoyed a consistent influx of currency while the population exploded in the 1630s. But those resources were not enough to grow an economy, let alone sustain it. And, eventually, they slowed to a trickle. In this episode, we will talk about the emergence of Triangular Trade. A system that not only saved the New England Colonies, but helped to build them into one of the most powerful, dynamic economies of their day. The demands for codfish and wool across the Atlantic may have been just a stop gap, but it launched a shipping empire. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

How is wealth created? Who is in charge of the mechanisms for building wealth? Much of what we consider the study of history is really the study of applied economic policies. In this episode, we focus on the contemporary systems we are all familiar with, at least in a trivial sense. Our main focus is Capitalism, but we will talk about other "isms" as well. The goal is to prepare for conversations about the political economics of the Puritans. They would not recognize the systems we have today. Mercantilism was emerging as a replacement for feudalism. It was a precursor to Capitalism. It was also its antithesis. To really understand what it was, it's a good idea to have something to compare it to. Understanding these principles helps us to understand and apply history in our own lives... in more areas than just finance, as we'll see. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

The topic of education is a HUGE deal, and it has massive implications. What does it mean to be educated? What value does education bring to a society? Does literacy matter? How focused should society be around the education of its young? Many of the aspects of Puritan education have been lost. Their strict and determined process would make many of us uncomfortable today. But their system worked. It created more than just a literate population. It catapulted their small isolated community above their contemporaries. We may dismiss much of the specifics, but we ought to revisit the model. The fundamental question for our generation is: What are we getting out of the system we have today? Is this really the best we can do? How does a society prepare their children when the educational system has lost its vision, its mandate to prepare the next generation to understand the world they live in? Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

If there is a sincere desire to succeed, one will often look to those who have already succeeded for guidance. Thomas Mayhew had been successful in missions. John Eliot and Massachusetts Bay did not look to Thomas Mayhew's example. His had been genuine. Instead, their commitment became political. It was through deception and determination that Puritan New England launched their missionary efforts. In this episode, we'll see the opening vollies of Puritan missions in New England. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

No decade transformed Western Civilization like the 1490s. Before then, Europe was a gloomy continent split into factions, ripe for conquest by the Islamic world. It had made no significant advances in science or literature for a century. But after a Spanish caravel named Nina returned to the Old World with news of a startling discovery, the dying embers of the West were fanned back to life. Shipbuilding began at a furious pace. Trade routes to Africa, India, and China quickly opened. At the same time, printing presses spread new ideas about science, religion, and technology across the continent. Literacy rates exploded. Because of the Age of Discovery, for the first time in generations, Europeans had hope in the future.Today, an Age of Discovery 2.0 is upon us. With Elon Musk promising affordable rocket rides to the Moon and Mars within a decade, planetary bodies will be as accessible to humans as the New World was to adventurers in the 1500s.How will the Age of Discovery 2.0 change our civilization the way the first one did five centuries ago?To find the answers, History Unplugged is interviewing historians, scientists, and futurists who have spent decades researching this question. We will learn how:•Spain's 16th-century global empire was built on the spice trade (cinnamon was worth more than gold) and those same economics will lead to Mars colonization (its stockpiles of deuterium are a key ingredient for cheap fusion power•How slavery was a conscious choice in the American colonies (Virginia embraced it while Puritan New England rejected it) and how the same choices on human rights could make the future a libertarian paradise or a neo-feudal dystopia•How the East India Company's control over India foreshadows SpaceX's control over Mars and what happens when a corporation effectively controls a nation (or in this case, a planet).•The labor shortage – and lack of regulation – in off-world colonies will lead to incredible innovation, as did the lack of workers and government restriction in colonial America drove the rise of “Yankee ingenuity's” wave of inventions.

Weddings are typically a lot of fun, except when you get stuck at the pastor's table. Why is it that people assume pastors and "serious" followers of Jesus are NO FUN AT ALL? In some ways, it goes all the way back to Puritan New England, but it's a myth perpetuated today by well-intentioned believers. So why did Jesus go to so many weddings, dinners, banquets, celebrations, and parties? BECAUSE HE WAS INVITED! In this message, Max Vanderpool unpacks our value "have fun" and why it's so desperately needed today.

Subscribe to Quotomania on Simplecast or search for Quotomania on your favorite podcast app!Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Dickinson's poetry was heavily influenced by the Metaphysical poets of seventeenth-century England, as well as her reading of the Book of Revelation and her upbringing in a Puritan New England town, which encouraged a Calvinist, orthodox, and conservative approach to Christianity.She admired the poetry of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as John Keats. Though she was dissuaded from reading the verse of her contemporary Walt Whitman by rumors of its disgracefulness, the two poets are now connected by the distinguished place they hold as the founders of a uniquely American poetic voice. While Dickinson was extremely prolific as a poet and regularly enclosed poems in letters to friends, she was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. The first volume of her work was published posthumously in 1890 and the last in 1955. She died in Amherst in 1886.From https://poets.org/poet/emily-dickinsonFor more information about Emily Dickinson:“Emily Dickinson”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/emily-dickinson

Today's Quotation is care of Emily Dickinson.Listen in!Subscribe to the Quarantine Tapes at quarantinetapes.com or search for the Quarantine Tapes on your favorite podcast app! Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Dickinson's poetry was heavily influenced by the Metaphysical poets of seventeenth-century England, as well as her reading of the Book of Revelation and her upbringing in a Puritan New England town, which encouraged a Calvinist, orthodox, and conservative approach to Christianity.She admired the poetry of Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as John Keats. Though she was dissuaded from reading the verse of her contemporary Walt Whitman by rumors of its disgracefulness, the two poets are now connected by the distinguished place they hold as the founders of a uniquely American poetic voice. While Dickinson was extremely prolific as a poet and regularly enclosed poems in letters to friends, she was not publicly recognized during her lifetime. The first volume of her work was published posthumously in 1890 and the last in 1955. She died in Amherst in 1886.From https://poets.org/poet/emily-dickinsonFor more information about Emily Dickinson:“Emily Dickinson”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/emily-dickinson

Geologist and writer Lauret Savoy considers fossil hunting and historical inquiry to be versions of the same pursuit. In Trace: Memory, History, Race, and the American Landscape, Lauret uses the search for her family story as a lens to better understand American history, and the landscape as a lens to better understand her past. Her memoir is a winding journey from southern California to Puritan New England, from Lake Superior to the U.S.- Mexico Border, and finally to Washington, D.C., where she grew up. For Lauret, identifying the geologic story in the American landscape was often easier than finding  answers about her own family. The next Outside/In book club pick is *Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age* by Annalee Newitz. Look for that episode in late summer. We want to see you reading your books! Share a picture of yourself #ReadingOutsideIn, and don’t forget to tag us @OutsideInRadio on Twitter and Instagram. Plus, if you’ve got a thought about Trace or a question for Annalee Newitz, send ‘em our way! 

John Underhill had an interesting life. There always seems to be a bigger than life aspect to his experiences. He was a part of some of the biggest controversies in Puritan New England. His service in New Netherland would be just as controversial. The backstory to his arrival is fascinating. He truly was a unique man for a unique time. In this episode we'll examine the rapidly changing atmosphere in the Dutch colony that precipitated John Underhill's arrival. Buckle your seat belt; the narrative will move pretty quickly. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

There were many men who helped shape the Colonial landscape of New England. Many dynamic and energetic men. One of the most prolific, and active men of the 1630s had to be John Underhill. When we last met, we developed a little of his family background. This episode we will look at his time among the English colonies. He held positions in Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New Haven, New Hampshire, and played a major role in the Mystic Massacre. It was not always pretty. We are building toward his second career in New Netherlands...that's right: this episode will only cover half of his story. Audio Production by Podsworth Media.

Jen is joined by three great guests for a live conversation (as well as an abundance of recorded contributions from other guests) for a wide-ranging and freewheeling conversation about our favorite books of 2020.C. Christopher Smith is the Founding Editor of The Englewood Review of Books and the author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks, published by Brazos in 2019.John Wilson is the former editor of Books & Culture. He is now Contributing Editor for The Englewood Review of Books.Sarah Arthur is the author of a dozen books on the intersection of faith and great literature, including the award-winning A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle. She served as co-director of the first-ever Madeleine L'Engle Conference “Walking on Water” at the end of 2019 and will co-lead the L'Engle Writing Retreat in northwest CT, tentatively rescheduled for November 2021. You can learn more about her work at her website saraharthur.info. Sarah is currently writing fiction and a preliminary fiction judge of the CT Book awardsBooks mentioned in this episode:A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle by Sarah ArthurA Long Time Comin' by Robin PearsonKeys to Bonhoeffer's Haus: Exploring the World and Wisdom of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Laura FabryckyDeacon King Kong by James McBrideThe Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBrideThe Good Lord Bird by James McBrideSex and the City of God: A Memoir of Love and Longing by Carolyn WeberRhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be by Alastair SterneCaste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonWhat It's Like to be a Bird by David Allen SibleyEast of Eden by John SteinbeckSisters by Daisy JohnsonDorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy Sayers and C.S. Lewis by Gina DalfonzoThe Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl TruemanThe Last Children of Mill Creek by Vivian GibsonMidwest Futures by Phil ChristmanGentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane OrtlundA Prayer for Orion: A Son's Addiction and a Mother's Love by Katherine JamesCan You See Anything Now? by Katherine JamesTranscendent Kingdom by Yaa GyasiKnow My Name: A Memoir by Chanel MillerEverything Sad Is Untrue: A True Story by Daniel NayeriOrdinary Hazards: A Memoir by Nikki GrimesClass Act by Jerry CraftWhen God Made the World by Matthew Paul TurnerJesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du MezA Pilgrimage to Eternity: From Canterbury to Rome in Search of a Faith by Timothy EganThe Uncontrollability of the World by Harmut RosaCharis in the World of Wonders: A Novel Set in Puritan New England by Marly YoumansLiving Things: Collected Poems by Anne PorterOne Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder by Brian DoyleThe Recovering: Intoxication and its Aftermath by Leslie JamisonLegacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki GrimesArt & Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto FujimuraHow to Fight Racism by Jemar TisbyA Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep by Tish Harrison WarrenAntiquities by Cynthia OzickA Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson by Winn Collier

"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne was published in 1835. It takes place in 17th century Puritan New England and follows the titular character as he sets out into the forest to meet the Devil, and finds he is not the only one. In this episode, Hannah and Jon discuss the main theme of corruption and each man's sin, and the excellent way Hawthorne set us in the story.Hannah and Jon take a deep dive into the theme of this historical fiction piece, as well as how exactly Hawthorne uses the setting to further the theme. They compare the corruption of Puritans to other pieces of literature such as The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter, and the Church.History of Nathaniel Hawthorne obtained from "Seagull Book of Stories" an anthology edited by Joseph Kelly.AnaLITical is created, hosted, and produced by Hannah and Jon Newland.Edited by Jon Newland.Artwork by Hannah Newland, using Logomakr and is owned by Hannah and Jon Newland.Theme music is Robot Gypsy Jazz by John Bartmannm - https://johnbartmann.comWebsite design by Hannah Newland - https://analiticalpod.wixsite.com/analiticalSupport the podcast https://www.buymeacoffee.com/analiticalpodYou can find the pod's social pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @analiticalpod and email us at analiticalpod@gmail.com

Eric Flint and Walter H. Hunt discuss 1636: The Atlantic Encounter, a new entry in Flint's Ring of Fire series. After the town of Grantville, West Virginia was thrown back to 17th Century Germany, the up-timers have had to adapt to survive. Now an expedition is sent to the New World of North America, where a combined crew of up-timers, down-timers, and one French spy encounter Puritan New England, Dutch New Amsterdam, and the contentious Englishmen of Jamestown; and David Weber's Uncompromising Honor, Part 24.

Eric Flint and Walter H. Hunt discuss 1636: The Atlantic Encounter, a new entry in Flint's Ring of Fire series. This is part two of a two-part interview. After the town of Grantville, West Virginia was thrown back to 17th Century Germany, the up-timers have had to adapt to survive. Now an expedition is sent to the New World of North America, where a combined crew of up-timers, down-timers, and one French spy encounter Puritan New England, Dutch New Amsterdam, and the contentious Englishmen of Jamestown; and David Weber's Uncompromising Honor, Part 25.

Eric Flint and Walter H. Hunt discuss 1636: The Atlantic Encounter, a new entry in Flint's Ring of Fire series. After the town of Grantville, West Virginia was thrown back to 17th Century Germany, the up-timers have had to adapt to survive. Now an expedition is sent to the New World of North America, where a combined crew of up-timers, down-timers, and one French spy encounter Puritan New England, Dutch New Amsterdam, and the contentious Englishmen of Jamestown; and David Weber's Uncompromising Honor, Part 24.

Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter tells the dramatic story of a woman cast out of society for adultery and condemned to wear a badge of shame in Puritan New England. Renowned psychologist Carol Gilligan identifies Hawthorne’s masterpiece as “the American novel” because (as Hawthorne puts it toward the book’s end) it points to a “new truth [that would place] the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Gilligan revolutionized our understanding of human development by listening to girls, and showing, in her landmark study, In A Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Human Development, how a “different voice” reveals something about our humanity that is more truthful, more authentic, and more generative for our lives together than the voice that privileges autonomy, identity and separation as moral ideals. Gilligan is the author of many other books, including a novel and the recent Why Does the Patriarchy Persist, and (with David Richards), Darkness Now Visible: Patriarchy’s Resurgence and Feminist Resistance. She explains how The Scarlet Letter is not only about the wages of sin and tragic love, but also about a vision of democracy that we have yet to realize fully, and about the way feminism is the key to achieving our democracy as it is threatened by the persistence of the patriarchy. Gilligan’s reading lifts Hawthorne’s book above its status as required reading, often assigned as a lesson in morality or a book about the long-gone past, by showing how The Scarlet Letter presents a vision of authentic love and a path to true democracy where equality and justice will be attained. Uli Baer is a professor at New York University. He is also the host of the excellent podcast "Think About It" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter tells the dramatic story of a woman cast out of society for adultery and condemned to wear a badge of shame in Puritan New England. Renowned psychologist Carol Gilligan identifies Hawthorne’s masterpiece as “the American novel” because (as Hawthorne puts it toward the book’s end) it points to a “new truth [that would place] the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Gilligan revolutionized our understanding of human development by listening to girls, and showing, in her landmark study, In A Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Human Development, how a “different voice” reveals something about our humanity that is more truthful, more authentic, and more generative for our lives together than the voice that privileges autonomy, identity and separation as moral ideals. Gilligan is the author of many other books, including a novel and the recent Why Does the Patriarchy Persist, and (with David Richards), Darkness Now Visible: Patriarchy’s Resurgence and Feminist Resistance. She explains how The Scarlet Letter is not only about the wages of sin and tragic love, but also about a vision of democracy that we have yet to realize fully, and about the way feminism is the key to achieving our democracy as it is threatened by the persistence of the patriarchy. Gilligan’s reading lifts Hawthorne’s book above its status as required reading, often assigned as a lesson in morality or a book about the long-gone past, by showing how The Scarlet Letter presents a vision of authentic love and a path to true democracy where equality and justice will be attained. Uli Baer is a professor at New York University. He is also the host of the excellent podcast "Think About It" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter tells the dramatic story of a woman cast out of society for adultery and condemned to wear a badge of shame in Puritan New England. Renowned psychologist Carol Gilligan identifies Hawthorne’s masterpiece as “the American novel” because (as Hawthorne puts it toward the book’s end) it points to a “new truth [that would place] the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Gilligan revolutionized our understanding of human development by listening to girls, and showing, in her landmark study, In A Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Human Development, how a “different voice” reveals something about our humanity that is more truthful, more authentic, and more generative for our lives together than the voice that privileges autonomy, identity and separation as moral ideals. Gilligan is the author of many other books, including a novel and the recent Why Does the Patriarchy Persist, and (with David Richards), Darkness Now Visible: Patriarchy’s Resurgence and Feminist Resistance. She explains how The Scarlet Letter is not only about the wages of sin and tragic love, but also about a vision of democracy that we have yet to realize fully, and about the way feminism is the key to achieving our democracy as it is threatened by the persistence of the patriarchy. Gilligan’s reading lifts Hawthorne’s book above its status as required reading, often assigned as a lesson in morality or a book about the long-gone past, by showing how The Scarlet Letter presents a vision of authentic love and a path to true democracy where equality and justice will be attained. Uli Baer is a professor at New York University. He is also the host of the excellent podcast "Think About It" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter tells the dramatic story of a woman cast out of society for adultery and condemned to wear a badge of shame in Puritan New England. Renowned psychologist Carol Gilligan identifies Hawthorne’s masterpiece as “the American novel” because (as Hawthorne puts it toward the book’s end) it points to a “new truth [that would place] the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Gilligan revolutionized our understanding of human development by listening to girls, and showing, in her landmark study, In A Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Human Development, how a “different voice” reveals something about our humanity that is more truthful, more authentic, and more generative for our lives together than the voice that privileges autonomy, identity and separation as moral ideals. Gilligan is the author of many other books, including a novel and the recent Why Does the Patriarchy Persist, and (with David Richards), Darkness Now Visible: Patriarchy’s Resurgence and Feminist Resistance. She explains how The Scarlet Letter is not only about the wages of sin and tragic love, but also about a vision of democracy that we have yet to realize fully, and about the way feminism is the key to achieving our democracy as it is threatened by the persistence of the patriarchy. Gilligan’s reading lifts Hawthorne’s book above its status as required reading, often assigned as a lesson in morality or a book about the long-gone past, by showing how The Scarlet Letter presents a vision of authentic love and a path to true democracy where equality and justice will be attained. Uli Baer is a professor at New York University. He is also the host of the excellent podcast "Think About It" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After much tragedy and confusion, one goat steps forward to give Adam insight into the events of a Puritan New England town. -- SHOW INFORMATION Twitter: @MyDeadNeighbors Instagram: @MyNeighborsAreDead Email: MyNeighborsAreDead@gmail.com Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Subscribe: Spotify

In 2014, director Robert Eggers brought 17th century Puritan New England to frighteningly vivid life in THE WITCH. For his follow-up - THE LIGHTHOUSE - Eggers skips ahead to the late 19th century and the results are no less unnerving. Adam and Josh debate the effectiveness of Eggers' formal gambits - black and white photography, immersive sound design, boxy aspect ratio - and the all-in performances from stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. Plus, the Contemporary Chinese Cinema Marathon continues with 2017's OUR TIME WILL COME, a historical drama set in WWII-era Hong Kong.  0:00 - Billboard 1:19 - Review: "The Lighthouse" 30:45 - “Lighthouse” Spoilers Jamie Drake, "When The Tide Comes In" 37:41 - Next Week/Notes 44:02 - Massacre Theatre 50:40 - Chinese Cinema #3: "Our Time Will Come" 1:12:27 - Outro / Outtake Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reflecting on his past, President John Adams mused that it was religion that had shaped his family's fortunes and young America's future. For the nineteenth century's first family, the Adamses of Massachusetts, the history of how they lived religion was dynamic and well-documented. Christianity supplied the language that Abigail used to interpret husband John's political setbacks. Scripture armed their son John Quincy to act as father, statesman, and antislavery advocate. Unitarianism gave Abigail's Victorian grandson, Charles Francis, the religious confidence to persevere in political battles on the Civil War homefront. By contrast, his son Henry found religion hollow and repellent compared to the purity of modern science. A renewal of faith led Abigail's great-grandson Brooks, a Gilded Age critic of capitalism, to prophesy two world wars. Globetrotters who chronicled their religious journeys extensively, the Adamses ultimately developed a cosmopolitan Christianity that blended discovery and criticism, faith and doubt. Drawing from their rich archive, Sara Georgini, series editor for The Papers of John Adams, demonstrates how pivotal Christianity--as the different generations understood it--was in shaping the family's decisions, great and small. Spanning three centuries of faith from Puritan New England to the Jazz Age, Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family tells a new story of American religion, as the Adams family lived it.-Sara Georgini, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., earned her doctorate in history from Boston University. She is series editor for The Papers of John Adams, part of the Adams Papers editorial project based at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston. Her first book is Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family.---Support for the Age of Jackson Podcast was provided by Isabelle Laskari, Jared Riddick, John Muller, Julianne Johnson, Laura Lochner, Mark Etherton, Marshall Steinbaum, Martha S. Jones, Michael Gorodiloff, Mitchell Oxford, Richard D. Brown, Rod, Rosa, Stephen Campbell, and Victoria Johnson, as well as Andrew Jackson's Hermitage​ in Nashville, TN.

Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter tells the dramatic story of a woman cast out of society for adultery and condemned to wear a badge of shame in Puritan New England. Renowned psychologist Carol Gilligan explains that Hawthorne’s masterpiece is America’s most radical novel because it points to a “new truth [that would place] the whole relation between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness.” Gillian revolutionized our understanding of human development when she listened closely to girls, discovering a "different voice" for all of humanity. Listen to a conversation with Carol to discover how the book, in a radical vision, holds the promise of authentic love and true democracy.

Americans are more supportive of free speech than any other people. 95 % of Americans think it’s “very important” to be able to criticize the government without censorship and 77% support the right to offend religious feelings. But in 17th Century colonial America, criticizing the government, officials or the laws was punishable as seditious libel and could result in the cropping of ears, whippings, boring of the tongue and jail time. Religious speech was also tightly controlled. Blasphemy was punishable by death in several colonies and religious dissenters such as Quakers were viciously persecuted in Puritan New England. Despite the harsh climate of the 17th century, the boundaries of political speech and religious tolerance were significantly expanded.  In this episode we’ll explore: How the crime of seditious libel was exported to colonial America Why peddlers of “fake news” were seen as enemies of the state Why a Harvard student was whipped for blasphemy Why four Quakers were hanged in Boston and many more whipped, branded and jailed How colonies like Pennsylvania, Carolina and Maryland combined religious tolerance with laws against religious offense, How Roger Williams´ ”Rogue Island” and West New Jersey adopted polices of radical religious toleration The dangers of mixing alcohol and politics in Maryland How William Penn promoted religious tolerance and political intolerance How the colonies operated a strict licensing regime to suppress printing How John Wise protested taxation without representation and became “America’s First Great Democrat” You can subscribe and listen to Clear and Present Danger on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, YouTube, TuneIn, and Stitcher, or download episodes directly from SoundCloud. Stay up to date with Clear and Present Danger on the show’s Facebook and Twitter pages, or visit the podcast’s website at freespeechhistory.com. Email us feedback at freespeechhistory@gmail.com.

sermon transcript An Amazing Resolution by a Teenager In the fall of 1722, a teenager named Jonathan Edwards, a religious prodigy in almost every regard, came to understand the Christian life better than almost anyone that I have studied. At age 19, he set down a challenging set of resolutions that would guide the rest of his life. This was a common practice in Puritan New England, done by ambitious and high-minded people. The practice continued into the Colonial era — George Washington and Benjamin Franklin made similar resolutions, though more worldly and pragmatic, for self-discipline and achieving success in this world, their generation’s version of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Edwards’ resolutions are a masterpiece of godly determination and holiness, regarding making the most of every moment that we have in this world. They are all worth studying, but we will focus on Resolution #22: “Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.” Edwards was determined to do whatever he could in this world to maximize his happiness in the other world, that is, in Heaven. This is a revolutionary thought. How we live our lives in time will affect how we enjoy eternity. Edwards speaks of endeavoring to obtain happiness in Heaven. That speaks of deeds done, of works. Furthermore, he expects that it will take everything he has to obtain maximum joy in Heaven. He speaks of pitching in all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence he has, giving every moment of energy, totally consumed at every moment, pouring out all the power of body and soul toward this one end. Then he adds the curious word “violence” as though he expects that obtaining maximum joy in Heaven will require war on earth. As the apostle Paul said at the end of his life, in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Edwards expected that obtaining maximum joy in heaven would be violently opposed every step of the way by those ancient foes of our soul: the world, the flesh, and the devil. I am so grateful for the beautiful multi-generational diversity God has given us in this church — godly elderly saints and godly teens. My heart is for all of you, even at an early age, to make the most of your time on earth. I will not give up on anyone no matter how old, but I do have a special word for the youth of our church — for teenagers and college students — that you would make the most of your lives, resolving now to do this. Edwards thought this was an appropriate way of looking at life, but was he right? Was he simply an 18th century Scottish rationalist, philosopher and mystic, such that we can discard his outlook? Can we actually prove by Scripture that our works will affect our heavenly experience? I believe that we can, and I assert that Edwards’ 22nd resolution was based on a true understanding of many verses of Scripture that show that our works — as justified, forgiven saints, people of God who have crossed over from death to life, from darkness to light, who have come to faith in Christ — will affect our heavenly experience. I want to call each one of you to maximum spiritual effort. I want to ignite within each of you a godly ambition to use your life well, a fire that will result in maximum spiritual and physical effort for the glory of God for the rest of your life. No book of the Bible so clearly depicts our life in the next world as does this incredible book of Revelation, especially the final two chapters, 21 and 22. Christ Comes Soon With His Rewards The Promise Asserted and in Context Revelation 22:12 says, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” Christ is coming soon with his rewards. He asserts a promise: “Behold, I am coming soon!” He directs our attention, as though the veil is being pulled back — behold! — referring to the Second Coming of King Jesus, when he will come in breathtaking glory to punish his enemies and reward his servants. Behold, he is coming soon. Most of the book of Revelation depicts what terrifying dreadful things he will do to his enemies. But these last two chapters speak of what he will do for his servants. Let us put this promise in context. “Revelation” means “unveiling,” pulling back the veil so that we can see present invisible spiritual realities. Present realities include the fact that the resurrected glorified Christ is ministering among the seven golden lamp stands, which represent local churches like this one all over the world, through every era of church history; that Almighty God is sitting on His heavenly throne of glory surrounded by 24 elders on thrones, living creatures and 100 million angels; that the Lamb of God is triumphant, looking as if he had been slain, having redeemed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation; that the devil and his angels (demons) constantly assault the people of God in this world. The book of Revelation also speaks of future realities. Revelation 1:1 says, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.” John details, over many chapters, the future of the progressive unfolding wrath of God, with judgments within seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls; the future Second Coming of Christ; the future New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem, and what that world will be like. Now, he says, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” He says this four times — verses 6, 7, 12, and 20 — as if we had somehow missed it, begging us to hear. Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.’” John immediately replies, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” The word “soon” may be perplexing to us. It has been 2000 years, but 2 Peter 3:8 says, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” The word “soon” is meant to make us as servants who do not see our master every day with our eyes to cause us to be perpetually vigilant in his service. But with the expectancy that at any moment he may come, it affects the way we live at every moment. We are to be continually alert, active, and aware. The Doctrine of Christian Rewards When he comes, he will bring his reward with him. We could use negative terms, as a warning to his enemies. I will instead zero in on it being a reward for his servants. This brings us to the doctrine and theology of Christian rewards. John intensifies it in verse 12, “I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” According to your works. The word “reward” — misthos in the Greek — indicates a concept of pay or salary, always relating to recompense, something given back for deeds done. It is never used in reference to forgiveness of sins or reconciliation with God or justification. As a matter of fact, Paul vigorously separates the two ideas in Romans 4. He asserts in Romans 3:21-25, the glowing center of the Gospel: “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified [made right with God, declared not guilty, forgiven of sins ] by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation [a sacrifice that takes away the wrath of God through faith in his blood] by his blood, to be received by faith.” Then in Romans 4:2-5, he says, “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God. What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. [Again, “wages” — misthos — are not a gift but what is owed for service.] However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” As far as the east is from the west is how far He separates forgiveness of sins from works. We cannot be forgiven of our sins by our works. Justification vs. Heavenly Rewards I have been praying for this moment in the sermon. God has brought some visitors here that are as yet unforgiven, on the outside, know not Christians. Let me make it plain: if you want to go to Heaven, it will not be by works. For forgiveness of sins, simply trust in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for sinners like you and me, willing to take your wickedness and sins on himself to die under the wrath of God, so that he could give you his perfect obedience to the law of God. His righteousness is a gift, in which those who believe will stand on Judgment Day, forgiven of all your sins. In that righteousness, you will walk on into Heaven through the gates of the New Jerusalem. That is the only way to get to Heaven. However, beyond justification, there is the possibility of rewards for service done. Having been justified, we can store up rewards. Matthew 5:11-12 says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” There are smaller rewards, medium rewards and great rewards. Think of it as a dimmer switch. If they beat on you for my sake, if you are a martyr for my sake, rejoice and be glad because you have a great reward in Heaven. Matthew 6 is the key chapter on rewards. There are many other Scriptures, but this comes right from the lips of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He shows in Matthew 6 that he is zealous that we not lose our heavenly reward by going for it here on earth; he wants us to have a reward in Heaven. He says in Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:3-6, 16-19: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. … And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others [who may say, “What a godly prayer warrior!”]. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. … When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. … Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moths and vermin destroy, where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What could you possibly store up in Heaven if not rewards? Justification is not accumulated little by little but given as a gift all at once. But Jesus said that there are things we can store up day after day — treasure in Heaven. We are to set our hearts on it rather than on things on earth. Jesus said in Luke 14 that when we give a banquet, do not invite all our best and wealthy friends. Rather, invite the beggars, the lame, the poor, the outcast, the blind. He said in Luke 14:14, “Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Infinitely Glad It is easy to misunderstand this teaching. In terms of justification by faith alone, all who are redeemed by faith in the blood of Christ will be infinitely, perfectly happy just to be there. My primary witness on this is a famous individual known as the thief on the cross. He was crucified with Jesus, and at some point, God, in his sovereign grace to this sinner, gave him a revelation of who was being crucified next to him, who he is, who he will be — the coming resurrected glorified King. The thief turned and said, Luke 23:42-43, “‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” On what basis does that man get all of his sins forgiven? Romans 2 says he was storing up wrath every day of his life, and wrath was all he had to the moment they nailed him on the cross. That stored-up wrath was removed at that moment. What treasure did he have stored up in Heaven? Very little. He made a few comments and died. His hands could not move, his feet could not move, he was not going anywhere or doing anything. He was justified by faith in Christ apart from works. That day, he was with Jesus in paradise, and he was perfectly happy. He is now absent from the body and present with the Lord. Later, he will be there in a resurrection body, still perfectly happy. Heaven We Will All Enjoy Equally There are aspects of Heaven we will all enjoy equally. Revelation 21:1-4 says, “I saw a new heaven, a new earth, and the new Jerusalem. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with people, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” Every saint in Heaven will exist forever in the presence of God. There will be no more curse for any of them. They will all be in immortal glorious resurrection bodies. They will all see the face of God; His throne will be there in the city, and His servants will serve him and see His face. They will all drink from the River of the Water of Life flowing clear as crystal. They will all have the right to eat from the Tree of Life and the right to go in and out through the gates of the New Jerusalem. They will see that radiant city in its glory and its beauty. They will see all of the colors and perfection of that place. All will enjoy that equally. These and countless other blessings of our eternity in the world to come will be equally deeply, richly, eternally satisfying to all the redeemed. Heaven Some Will Enjoy More Than Others Today we will focus not on what we will all equally enjoy but on four differences between the saints in heaven — some saints will enjoy more rewards, glory, authority and more of God than others. Rewards Some saints will enjoy more rewards than others. Jesus urges us to store up treasure in Heaven, and he sets no limit on how much we can store up. He showed us with the widow and her two copper coins that we will be surprised on Judgment Day how much he valued certain works. She gave everything she had to live on, so that gives us a clue on some of the rules here. The level of sacrifice is important but so is every cup of cold water given to one of the servants of the Gospel — even the smallest things. Jesus said we will never lose our reward. These rewards are all by grace. We do not deserve to be rewarded because all of our good works are done by the power of Jesus in us. He is the vine, we are the branches. If we remain in him and he in us, we will bear much fruit. Apart from him, we can do nothing. All of our rewards are his, which is why we see the saints in Revelation casting their crowns before God. They are saying that all of these rewards are what He did it in them, so the rewards are His. What are the rewards? Simple doctrine tells us that praise from God is our reward. The most famous text on this is Matthew 25:21, the Parable of the Talents — the five talents, the two talents, and the one talent. The man with five talents earned five more; the man with two talents made two more. They both got the exact same thing. Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” That is praise from the master — praise from your Father, praise from Jesus. Well done! This is verbal commendation that will come with symbols of it as well. God is saying he is pleased with what we did. Another clear text on this is 1 Corinthians 4:5 “At that time each will receive his praise from God.” Those three words are the rewards — praise from God. Not praise for God — we will be doing that constantly, and He will deserve all of it. This is the other way around — He will praise us. Jesus said in John 12:26, “My father will honor the one who serves me.” In the Parable of the Talents, the master invites the servant to enter into his joy. God wants us to enter into, to share, His joy with us for the moments when we do unseen things such as going into our rooms, closing the door and praying to the Father who is unseen. There are four criteria for which deeds receive rewards: they must be done for the glory of God; done by faith in Jesus, like a vine abiding in the branch, relying on him; done in obedience to the Word of God, doing what was commanded; and done with a loving demeanor — love is patient and kind; giving all your money to the poor without love will not be rewarded. When Jonathan Edwards’ desire to obtain as much heavenly happiness as possible was 100% nestled within his relationship with God. I want my Father to be as pleased with me in my life as He possibly can be, and I want him to express that to me. I want him to tell me about it. I have a drawer in my room packed full of artwork my kids have done over the years. I working on a second drawer. The artwork is of varying levels of quality, but it is precious to me, because my kids did it, because they love me. It is relational. These rewards are relational. My question is, how much of that do you want in Heaven? How many such expressions of God’s pleasure in what you did do you want? Glory Some saints will display more glory than others. We will all shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father, radiant in our resurrection bodies. Matthew 13:43 says, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” But Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 15:41-42 about the resurrection body: “... star differs from star in glory. So it will be with the resurrection of the dead.” Some stars are brighter than others; some are bigger than others; some shine more radiantly than others. Friends, you need only study church history to know that this is true. Some brothers and sisters in Christ shine more than others. They did more for Jesus and are more radiant and glorious. It will be displayed forever in Heaven. Not every star shines equally brightly in the night sky, and so it will be at the resurrection. Some people will shine more brightly than others and be adorned with more symbols of their glory than others. Authority Some saints will enjoy positions with more authority than others. This will not be like socialism; everybody is not equal. The 24 elders sit on 24 thrones and have crowns, which they cast down in praise. But do not think that they cast them away and never saw them again. Those are the elders’ crowns to cast. Forever they are acknowledging that, saying, “My crown is yours. It is mine to give.” It is the same when we give tithes and offerings — it is ours to give. When James’ and John’s mother came to Jesus on behalf of her sons, she asked him to give her whatever she asked, a blank check. In Matthew 20:20-23, “She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You don't know what you are asking’ [a profound statement]. Jesus said to them. ‘Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?’ ‘We can,’ they answered [having no idea what it was]. Jesus said to them, 'You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’” Jesus does not deny that there are positions of authority in his kingdom. What he is asking the brothers is whether they know what it will take to get there. The other ten were indignant, so in that moment, Jesus taught them a lesson about authority. Matthew 20:24-28 says, “When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Positions of authority in Heaven come through suffering service. The more you suffer in service to God vertically and to your brothers and sisters horizontally, the higher the position of authority you will have. It is not that they do not exist, but that is how it happens. The ones who give the most in service to others will be rewarded the most. More of God Some saints will enjoy more of God than others. Jesus said, “The measure you use is the measure you'll receive.” Jonathan Edwards, used an illustration in a couple of sermons, one on Romans 2:10, and another on the end of 1 Corinthians 13 called “Heaven is a World of Love.” He pictures God in Heaven as an infinite ocean of Himself. We saints are all vessels, completely immersed in the ocean. None of us has the whole thing because God is infinite and we are not, nor will we become infinite when we go to Heaven. We will always be learning God — there will always more of Him to take in. The vessels are of different diameters. Every saint is completely full, but not every saint is equal in their fullness. Some saints have more of God and see more of God than others. Edwards said no one will be dissatisfied for, “All shall have as much love as they desire.” That is a provocative statement. How much do you desire? We actually set our own measure: “The measure you use is the measure you will receive.” In truth, this is a call for heavenly ambition. How Much? “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” A number of years ago, I preached on Matthew 16:26: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what would a man give in exchange for his soul?” I came across a short story written by the Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy, in 1886. James Joyce called it the greatest short story ever written. Tolstoy wrote it to warn us against earthly ambitions, against greed. The focus of the story is a peasant named Pahom. Pahom was frustrated with his economic level in life. He wanted more, but he knew in tsarist Russia in the 19th century that it all came down to how much land you had. He determined to find a way to get more land. He tried a variety of tactics, and then heard from a friend that in the distant east beyond the mountains, there was a tribe of people called the Bashkir people who were selling land at an incredibly low rate, good land for farming and cattle. So he sold as much as he could, collecting a thousand Rubles, and traveled hundreds of miles to the east, across the mountains, arriving in the region of the Bashkirs. He found the tribe, and the chieftain confirmed that they were selling land. When Pahom asked the price, the chieftain said it was always the same, one thousand Rubles a day. Pahom did not understand. He was expecting the price to be some amount for a certain number of acres. The chieftain said no, it was a thousand Rubles for as much land as a man could walk around in a single day. The rules were the man must walk, not use a horse. He must start and end at the same spot, before the sun goes down, or he would lose all his money and whatever land he had walked around. Pahom could not believe it. He thought that a man could walk around a huge amount in a day. That night he could barely sleep, he was so excited. The next day, he was up before dawn and met the tribe and the chieftain on the top of a hill. As the sun was rising, he could see the land. It was beautiful in every direction, but particularly so toward the east. As soon as the sun rose, the chieftain threw his cap down. Pahom took off down the hill. According to the rules, he took a spade with him to mark the boundaries by digging a hole and piling up the dirt. He could not believe how good the land was. Picture a baseball player running the bases — first, second, third, home. The further along he went from home to first, the more beautiful the land became. It looked richer and richer. He was about to dig his first hole, but saw another little river and a bunch of fruit trees, and desired to include that. Finally, he realized he might have bit off more than he could chew, so he dug a hole and he made his first turn. Now the sun was getting high, maybe even past noon, and he had not dug the second hole yet. He was getting hot and removed his coat and his backpack. He drank water and took a brief lunch break and realized he needed to move more quickly to get back. He dug the second hole, and the sun seemed to accelerate, moving fast across the sky. He became worried that he might not make it back. He dug his third hole and he could see the hill in the distance where he started, but it was late in the afternoon. The shadows were long. He dropped the shovel and began to jog, going as hard as he could. He was not in great condition. When he got to the base of the hill, as far as he could tell, the sun had set. He threw himself down on the ground, but they called down to him that they could still see the sun from there and he should not give up. He got up and labored up the hill, but it took everything he had to get to the top. Just before the sun set, he grabbed the chieftain’s cap — he made it all the way around. The tribe celebrates — it is the most land they had ever seen anyone get. But there was blood coming out of Pahom’s mouth, and he died. Tolstoy’s genius lay in the answer to the question which is the title of the story: How Much Land Does a Man Need? The answer is: about six feet — enough to bury him head to toe. The story is meant to be a warning against earthly ambition. How Much Happiness and Heaven Do You Want? But as I was thinking about Edwards’ resolution, the story flipped on me all of a sudden. Listen again to the resolution: “Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.” I fear that in this comfortable 21st century west — the American Christian Evangelical scene — there are some spiritual Pahoms who bring a La-Z-Boy recliner with them to the top of the hill before sunrise. As the sun comes up, they stretch and admire the view of the beautiful land, but they do not move. About mid-morning, they pick up their shovel go down the hill, about 80-100 feet, dig their first hole, move on over, dig the second one, and so on in good order. They are back in their La-Z-Boy before sitting down to their delicious lunch. I would give everything I could to be sure you do not live your life that way. It is not how you live one day only but how you live every day, how you approach life. I would stimulate you to ambition by asking this question: How much heaven do you want? The beauty is, if you run this race with endurance, give everything you have and die for the chieftain’s cap, you then get your reward, your inheritance. You have not lost anything. It is all waiting for you. This is a call to heavenly ambition, to run the race marked out before you with endurance, to store up heavenly treasure, to redeem the time because the days are evil. It is a call to do daily good works as unto the Lord. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “…whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” You can store up treasure in Heaven with an average American life, living it for the glory of God, holding down a secular job, raising your family to the glory of God, all of these things. I am asking, is that all you want? Could I not challenge you to a heavenly ambition, to something higher and better? Not that you would quit your job or move, but consider a different way of looking at the remaining days, months, years you have here on earth, to run relentlessly. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” That is a call to press on toward holiness, to put sin to death by the power of the Spirit. Paul says in Acts 20:24, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” Those are the two journeys, the two races — the race for holiness in 1 Corinthians 9 and the race for evangelism in Acts 20. I am calling on you to run your version of those two races. I especially want to challenge the young people — college students and youth. In the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire, the master of King’s College in Oxford in 1919, a year after the Great War ended, used the sober image of the war list — the names of the boys who had died in World War I posted on the wall at Oxford — to motivate the incoming freshman class to exertion: “Let me exhort you. Examine yourselves. Let each of you discover where your true chance of greatness lies. For their sakes, for the sake of your college and your country, seize this chance. Rejoice in it! And let no power or persuasion deter you in your task.” It was a thoroughly secular speech, but I want to capture it to ask you where your true chance of greatness lies. How has God gifted you? What is your passion? What's your ambition? Do it and let nothing stop you. What great thing is God calling you to do? What are you ambitious for in a good way? Paul says in Romans 15:20-21, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is written: ‘Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’” The word “ambition” is used three times in the New Testament, translated literally “love of honor.” In other words, Paul is saying to Jesus that he would love the honor of winning lost people for his kingdom. He loves the honor that would come back to him for doing so. He says the same thing in 2 Corinthians 5: “We make it our ambition to please God.” That is for everybody. I would love the honor, O Lord, of pleasing you today. What is your love of honor? What is your ambition? Some of you may desire to be a missionary to one of the 400 unengaged, unreached people groups that IMB.org has identified and listed. You might be one of those that would be called out to win them to Christ. Perhaps God is calling you into devotional ministry in which you are planting a church in some North American city, or a pro-life ministry, or a mercy ministry to the poor and needy. Maybe if you have academic writing gifts, He is calling you to use that for the glory of God. My imagination only goes so far, but God has a vast imagination. He has gifted you and He will call you to do great things. What is your path of true greatness? What would you love the honor to do? The third use of the love of honor is very interesting, different than Paul’s trailblazing frontier church planting approach. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” A homeowner, holding down a job for the glory of God, providing for his family and trying to win outsiders who are watching his life, is pursuing an ambition too. They are very different callings. But what is your love of honor? What will you want to stand holding on Judgment Day to be evaluated for? How much heaven do you want? Closing Prayer Father, thank you for this promise that you have made. Behold, Lord Jesus, you said “I am coming soon. My reward is with me and I will repay each one according to what he has done.” I pray that you would give us a passion, O Lord, help us to find out what you are calling us to do, to be ambitious for and help us to do it for your glory. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

My guest is Juliet Mofford, author of "The Devil Made Me Do It! Crime and Punishment in Early New England". She discusses a variety of topics, including scarlet letters, witches, and the methods that Puritans dealt out punishments to law-breakers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850, is set in Puritan New England in the 17th century. Exploring the issues of grace, legalism, and guilt, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, a Puritan woman who commits adultry then struggles to create a new life. The introduction provides a frame for the main narrative of The Scarlet Letter. The nameless narrator, who shares quite a few traits with the book’s author, takes a post as the “chief executive officer,” or surveyor, of the Salem Custom House. This section introduces us to the narrator and establishes his desire to contribute to American culture.

Lose-Lose Parenting: Tough Love, "Last Resorts" and Public Shaming A stream of consciousness show, in response to a story about the Florida parents who publicly shamed their 15-year-old daughter as a "last resort" act of "tough love." “We’re losing a lot of kids and a lot of teachers because we still view challenging kids the wrong way and handle them in ways that don’t address their true difficulties. It's an exercise in frustration for everyone involved, and it’s time to get off the treadmill.” Ross Greene, Lost At School Picture(Clockwise from top-left): 1. 17th century Puritan New England 2. 19th century American South 3. Communist China 4. Florida, 2012 Look Closer: Parents Shame Daughter for Sneaking Boys In, Make Her Wear Sign http://news.softpedia.com/news/Parents-Shame-Daughter-for-Sneaking-Boys-In-Make-Her-Wear-Sign-309266.shtml Trashing Teens: Psychologist Robert Epstein argues in a provocative book, "The Case Against Adolescence," that teens are far more competent than we assume http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200703/trashing-teens Father forces seventh grade son stand street wearing sign failing grades http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113691/Father-forces-seventh-grade-son-stand-street-wearing-sign-failing-grades.html Dr. Ross Greene, Lives In the Balance http://www.livesinthebalance.org/solving-problems-collaboratively Dr. Ross Greene, Simple Plan B (Example) http://www.livesinthebalance.org/simple-plan-b Trashing Teens: Psychologist Robert Epstein argues in a provocative book, "The Case Against Adolescence," that teens are far more competent than we assume http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200703/trashing-teens Dayna Martin: 'I let my children do whatever they want' http://gulfnews.com/life-style/people/i-let-my-children-do-whatever-they-want-1.1108729

From the 1680-1690s, Puritan New England underwent political and cultural transformations that would eventually turn it from a Puritan "covenanted society," virtually independent of the mother country, into a much more open and secular royal province. The main political events that shaped the crisis and transformations alike are the establishment of a royal Dominion of New England in 1686 and its downfall in the bloodless Boston "revolution" of 1689, "King William's War" with the French and their Algonquin allies and, most notorious of all, the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692. Studying a group of texts, written by political and spiritual elite, Galtsin focuses on how the Puritan colonies reacted to the turbulent decade, and how they saw it in a process of divinely ordained history. Speaker Biography: Dmitry Galtsin is with the department of book history at the Library of Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg. He is a Fulbright Fellow in the John W. Kluge Center.

This episode is titled, A City on a Hill, and returns to our look at the Propagation of the Christian Faith in the Americas.Back in Episodes 105 and 6, we breached the subject of Missions in the New World. We looked at the role the Jesuits played in the Western Hemisphere. While the post-modern view of this era tends to reduce all European missionaries in a monochromatic Euro-centrism that leveled native American cultures, that simply wasn't the case. Yes, there were plenty of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestants who conflated the Gospel with their mother culture. But there were not a few missionaries who understood the difference and valued the uniqueness that was native American cultures. They sought to incarnate the Christian message in those cultures and languages. That often got them in trouble with officials back home who wanted to exploit indigenous peoples. In other words, it isn't just modern Liberation Theology advocates who sought to protect the peoples of the New World from the exploitive injustices of the Old. Many early missionaries did as well.So, we considered the work of men like Jean de Brébeuf and Madame de la Peltrie in the northeast of North America. We considered the work of the Russian Orthodox Church in the far northwest and down the west coast to California. They were met by the Spanish coming north out of Central America.Protestants were a bit late to the game. One of the first real attempts was near Rio de Janeiro when the French Huguenot Admiral Villegagnon established a short-lived Calvinist settlement in 1555. It folded when the French were expelled by the Portuguese. A more permanent settlement was made by the Dutch when they captured Pernambuco at the easternmost tip of Brazil. This settlement remained a Calvinist enclave for forty years.North America presented a very different scene for missions than Central and South America. The voyage of the Mayflower with its ‘Pilgrims' in 1620 was a historical pointer to the strong influence of Calvinism in what would become New England. The states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire were strongly Congregationalist or Presbyterian in terms of church polity and heavily influenced by English Puritanism. At least some of these pioneers felt a responsibility for spreading the Christian faith to native Americans.In episode 106, we talked about John Eliot, the Mayhews, William Carey, David Livingstone, David Brainerd, and, Jonathan Edwards.Besides Presbyterians and Congregationalists, Episcopalians achieved some success in evangelizing the Indians.And again, for those who missed my earlier comment … While it's fashionable in some circles to eschew the use of the label “Indian” in favor of the assumed-moniker “Native American” for indigenous people of the New World, many of their modern day descendants have made clear their desire to be called “Indians” or referred to by their tribal identity, rather than “Native American.”  So please, those of non-New World descent who take umbrage at the label “Indian” on behalf of others, assuming you're defending People of Color, no nasty emails or snarky reviews because you speak that of which you know not.If some frustration came through in that >> Sorry, Not Sorry. It's just tiresome dealing with the comments of those who want to apply fleeting social concepts that appeared two-seconds ago as a blanket over hundreds and even thousands of years of history. It's simply unconscionable to apply contemporary values and untested, highly-questionable social theories on prior ages, as though just because we live now, we're somehow more enlightened, more civilized, in a word better than those who are thus cast as “worse” only because they lived before this moment of grand-enlightenment. The arrogance of that perspective is stunning.Okay, end of my tirade of personal pique …Being that we've just come up to the age of the Puritans in England, now would be a good time to take a little closer look at Puritanism in the New World.During the reign of James I, some Puritans grew discouraged at the pace of reform in England and separated entirely from the Church of England. After a sojourn of about eleven years in the Netherlands, a group of these “separating Puritans,” known to us as “Pilgrims,” set sail for the New World. The Dutch were generally welcoming of these English dissenters because they shared the same faith and as the English were such hard workers, added to their booming economy. But the English grew distressed after a little more than a decade that their children were becoming more Dutch, than English. They couldn't return to England where tension was thick between the Crown and Puritans. So they decided to set sail for the New World and try their fortune there. They established a colony at Plymouth in 1620 in what is now southeastern Massachusetts.While it struggled greatly, it eventually succeeded and became something of a model for other English settlements in the region.Back in England, when Archbishop Laud suppressed Puritans, emigration to the New World increased. As the Puritans' relationship with the new king soured, a Puritan lawyer named John Winthrop began plans for a colony in New England. In March 1629, Winthrop obtained a royal charter to establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A year later he was joined by 700 colonists on eleven ships and set sail.While aboard the Arbella, Winthrop preached a sermon declaring to his fellow travelers, “We shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” Others were soon captivated by this vision of a Christian commonwealth, and from 1630 to the beginning of the English Civil War, well over 20,000 Puritans settled in New England. “The Great Migration” had begun.These later Puritans were different from the Separatists Pilgrims of Plymouth. They regarded themselves as loyal members of the Church of England, now established in NEW England. They had the chance to install the reforms they'd ached to achieve back in England. They may have separated geographically, but not in loyalty to The Church of England.The New England Puritans held a vision, not just of a pure church, but of a purified society, one committed to Biblical principles, not just in church affairs but in all facets of public life. The idea of “covenant” between God and his people was at the center of their enterprise. Following the pattern of God's covenant with Israel, they promised to obey God and in turn, He'd bless them. This is why one often encounters the terminology that Massachusetts was a kind of New Israel. That required strict observance of the Sabbath. Families were structured as “little churches,” with the father bestowing blessing for obedience and vice-versa.This social structure required public piety. It prohibited what was called “secular entertainments”, like games of chance, dancing around maypoles, horse racing, bear-baiting, and the theater. Christmas celebrations were regarded as pagan rituals. Puritans adopted a rich view of piety that at times became excessive and became à What's the word? Let's just call it, odd.Following the Pietist tradition, New England Puritans required a genuine public declaration of conversion as a condition for church membership. Problems arose when children, who'd grown up in pious homes and had always counted themselves as Born Again, to give testimony to their dramatic conversion event. That led to many of them being excluded from membership in the Church, which was the heart and center of social life in the New England town. Divisions erupted, leading Puritan minister Richard Mather to developed the so-called “Half-Way Covenant” to solve the problem. The Half-Way Covenant gave a kind of quasi-membership that included baptism but not Communion to the children of church members. Puritan leaders hoped this would expose “halfway members” to an example that would see them having their own “born again” experience and usher them into full membership.Some historians assert the Puritans aimed for a theocracy. While Winthrop was governor, he certainly wanted to base the colony's laws on biblical principles, but he didn't permit clergy in civil governing. Church officials had no authority over civil magistrates. Winthrop and government officials sought the advice of ministers, but political authority rested in the hands of the laity. Theocratic tendencies certainly existed, but the colony's congregationalism restrained them. New England never had enough unity to be a theocracy.While a minority in England, Puritans were the majority in New England. A less careful recounting of American history would say they fled the Old World for the New to obtain religious liberty. Not really. They left so they could establish a PURITAN system of Church and State. There was no religious liberty as we conceive it today. Puritan New England was quite IN-tolerant of dissenters; like Roger Williams and Anne Hutchison.Historian Ed Morgan describes Roger Williams as a “charming, sweet-tempered, winning man, courageous, selfless, God-intoxicated — and stubborn.” Arriving in Boston just a year after Winthrop, he was quickly asked to be pastor of the local congregation. Williams refused. He was a staunch Separatist who vehemently disagreed with the Puritan connection to the Church of England. It stunned his neighbors that a man would turn down the invitation to be a pastor. This and other behaviors so infuriated the leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, they expelled him.Five years later, Williams settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay on land purchased from the Indians. He named the settlement Providence and declared religious freedom — the first colony in the world in which religious liberty for all was genuine. Infant baptism was banned since Williams believed baptism was for those old enough to make a real profession of faith. He established the first Baptist Church in America in 1638.The Hutchinsons, William and Anne, arrived in Massachusetts in 1634. They'd followed their minister John Cotton, pastor of a Boston congregation. Like many Puritans, the Hutchinsons hosted a group in their home to discuss Pastor Cotton's sermon from the previous week. Anne excelled at breaking down the message into topics that were engaging. The group grew to upwards of eighty adults.Then, controversy arose when Anne began to argue that all people are under either a covenant of works or grace. She was reacting against the public piety of the people of Boston who assumed good works proved the presence of salvation. She posited that works and grace were opposites and those who depended on works were lost.But Anne crossed the line in 1637 when she denounced some ministers as preaching a Gospel of Good Works. Critics accused her of antinomianism; that is the idea that the elect don't have to obey God. It didn't help her case that a woman was teaching the Bible to men.Anne was called to give an account before the General Court. She was anything but contrite. Sparks flew when she proved more adept at citing Scripture than her judges. The die was cast when she said that her knowledge of the issue had come “by revelation.” The magistrates, already suspicious of her orthodoxy, seized on this to banish her from the colony.We'll pick it up at this point and the infamous Salem Witch Trials in the next episode.