Scottish Puritanism, 1590-1638

• Published in: Bunyan studies no. 10; p. 100
• Main Author: Goodare, Julian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Newcastle Upon Tyne Northumbria University, Department of Humanities, Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences 01.01.2001
• Subjects: British & Irish literature; Bunyan, John (1628-1688); English literature
• ISSN: 0954-0970

By the time the book reaches the Covenant it has conveyed a vivid picture of a movement of divines and lay supporters, sharing a commitment to an intense devotional practice and an ideal godly society, and prepared to struggle to get it. The book was completed too early to take account of Alan R. MacDonald's recently published studies of Jacobean ecclesiastical politics, but it offers little obvious support to Dr MacDonald's account of failed compromises, shifting agendas and confused changes of allegiance. The great majority of Professor Mullan's puritans were straightforwardly presbyterians, and he offers special explanations for the few bishops he includes. [...]we are told of William Cowper, bishop of Galloway: 'His movement from support for presbytery into the king's camp brought him considerable conflict, but his conversion experience and struggles toward assurance of faith identify him with the piety of puritanism' (p. 26). Gordon Marshall's book on Scotland and the Weber thesis, and especially Louise Yeoman's St Andrew's thesis on the emotional and psychological aspects of covenanting divinity.