Did the Puritans lay the groundwork for liberalism?

[Puritanhead]

Did the Puritans lay the groundwork for liberalism?

Having a law and political science background, I have occasionally heard how the Puritans laid the groundwork for liberalism, radical egalitarianism, the messianic crusader state, Wilsonian idealism, and Straussian conceptions of natural law. Though, these criticisms come from Roman Catholic critics like Paul Gottfried, et al. and southern conservatives like M.E. Bradford.

Are there any merits to such a claim? Or is this just a post hoc, ergo propter hoc-- part of me thinks this is a false cause, and they wrongly attribute the liberalism that filled the gulf of declining Puritan conservative norms to Puritanism. They may refer to it as secularized Puritanism.

The problem is that old Puritans guarded against political and theological liberalism in their time, and it seems awfully imprudent to attribute the liberalism to them. Is this just a case of people with an axe to grind and prejudices against New Englanders and Calvinists?

Has anyone heard anything similar to this before?

[Edited on 3-9-2006 by Puritanhead]

 

[TimeRedeemer]

You said it. These are the same people who say Puritanism led to Unitarianism.

Meanwhile the sound foundation of the nation - which we may be driving on the mere fumes of today, to mix metaphors - which was set by Calvinism and Puritanism is totally invisible to these historians and sociologists.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I think the attitude is directly related to Puritan New England, as it evolved into a secular culture, with a religious veneer. There are those who say, "Of course it did; that was an inevitable course." But is that fair? How does the biblical anthropology--man as sinner--fit into their analysis? How does Sovereign grace fit into their calculations?

They just think, "Oh, Calvinism led to this, ergo Calvinism has ugly tendencies." Much too simplistic. What about the massive impact of the Calvinistic strain of Protestantism, that seems so outsized compared to the number of its adherents? Whence did that arise? Where is the appreciation for those who maintained the relgious Puritan strain? Have these people never heard of the Southern Presbyterians? How could they pit Puritans of the Edwardian strain against Scottish presbyterian immigrants?

I think (even when these critics are religious) they underestimate the malice that Satan has, and the efforts he puts forth, to corrupt powerful religious movements born of the Spirit in the heart.

 

[Ivan]

Puritanism or Calvinism did not lead to liberalism or Unitarianism. Sin led to liberalism and Unitarianism.

 

[Puritanhead]

I wonder if there are any Reformed historians that address their critiques or should we even take it seriously? Ryken and Boice in their chapter What Calvinism has done in history in the book The Doctrines of Grace is very good overview of the culture of the Puritans.