A friend very casually repeated Perry Miller's description of the American Puritans as "crypto-arminian." I know that Perry Miller is kind of a jerk . . . well, maybe not "kind of." The nicest thing I can say is that I don't believe everything Miller says, atheist and all.

But still . . . what *is* that? I gather in my reading that it's a kind of a snarky way of describing a 4-pointer (usually dropping the "L" in TULIP). Were the American Puritans 4-pointers?

Can you all connect the dots for me?

Thanks.

C

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Camille
Member, Mitchell Road Presbyterian, PCA
Taylors, SC

Bumping

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JC - PCA - PA...homesick for SC
A we n' de Ya, ho; I mak sikker; Deus juvat

Indicabo tibi o homo quid sit bonum, et quid Dominus requirat a te: Utique facere iudicium, et diligere, misericordiam, et sollicitum ambulare cum Deo tuo. Michaeas 6:8

"Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact. There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home" Bon Jovi

Perry Miller (1905-1963) was an historian specializing in New England Puritanism of the 17th Century:
- The New England Mind: The Seventeenth Century (1939)
- Orthodoxy in Massachusetts, 1630-1650 (1933)
- The New England Mind: From Colony to Province (1953)

He likely linked the New England Puritans with a crypto-Arminianism because of their emphasis on good works -- as if it implicitly betrayed the Calvinist doctrines of grace. I think this issue is briefly addressed in George Marsden's Jonathan Edwards: A Life (Yale Univ Press, 2004)

IMNSHO, It just exhibits Miller's own ignorance of Reformed theology.

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Jim
1689 LBCF
Independent Bible Church
North Texas, USA

Well, I don't disagree with that. Miller bugs me, so . . . I'm with you there.

But I hear Amyraldians called crypto-Arminians too. I guess I'm trying to understand what that means too. . . . I know what an Amyraldian is. Is crypto-Arminian a snotty insult??

Anyway, I know Marsden pretty well. I'll get that book of his too. I thought I had it. . . . Thanks!

C

Some forms of 4 points Soteriology are also charged to be cripto Arminianism, but Amyrauld has too much substance of God’s Sovereignty in his theology to be brought down to that level.

Some Puritans, Richard Baxter being the most renowned, were close to Amyrauldism, but by no way, imo, should be charged to be on «the way» to Arminianism.

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César Proença

there is no will nor running by which we can prepare the way for our salvation, it is wholly of the Divine Mercy Jean Calvin Institutes II . V. 17

Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (liberated) http://www.gkv.nl/main.asp?intTreeviewID=954

Igreja Reformada em Massamá Portugal http://www.igrejareformada.pt

I think the use of the term is somewhat fluid, although mostly used in a perjorative sense. I don't think Perry Miller's use was linked specifically with the idea of atonement. However, Phil Johnson (in your link) is rightly seeing an "Arminian logic" implicit in Amyraldism and labeling it crypto-Arminianism.

I would look at the term as suggesting an "underlying Arminian logic" (in some respect) in one who claims not to be Arminian.

AH! Okay. I see what you mean. Thank you both.

I got some of Marsden's book on google books. The *term* is just in the footnotes. I really need to buy the book. . . .

Thanks you all!!

C