What Are Puritan Ethics?
Dictionary.com defines Puritan ethics as a belief in and devotion to self-discipline, hard work, duty, responsibility and thrift. In today’s age, Puritan ethics refers to adherence to these beliefs regardless of whether they are rooted in religious belief. People that are very strict on moral and religious issues are often referred to as puritanical. Some believe that puritanical attitudes are harmful, according to Anxiety Culture.
Puritan ethics are rooted in the Puritan belief in a God-centered life, according to Christianity Today. The Puritans believed in God first, and that all other values and activities in life should be subordinated to religious belief. The three main Puritan traits are living a God-centered life, the doctrine of calling (vocation) and the conviction that all life is God’s.
According to Christianity Today, in the Puritan belief system, a particular calling consists of the specific tasks and occupation that God places before people everyday. These tasks can be a livelihood or unpaid work. The Puritans’ belief system dignified all types of work, and all work was considered a service to God. Puritan William Tyndale declared that people should not be judged by their past sins or actions, but rather by their intentions and heart.
