English - Admission/Application Essay Example

The fact of “The Bay Psalm Book” existence confirms this Puritans view on a literature: original Psalm Book is absolute, and best people can do to describe their current concerns is to see them through the Holy book. Thus, when coming to North America and noticing its beauty and advantages, Puritans see it as the new Promised Land. For example, Puritans see North America this way in William Bradford’s work “Of Plymouth Plantation”. On the opposite, when Puritans see Native Americans, they consider them to be barbarians on the analogy of barbarians in the Bible (Bradford).

Puritans do not see them as different culture-bearers, but as unbelievers who cannot be saved. This statement originates heavily from Calvinistic views on salvation which Puritans share. God has already chosen people who would be saved, but people don’t know yet if they were chosen. It’s no matter how righteously one lives his/ her life, and no matter what good decisions he/she makes, nothing can influence God’s will. Ones who deserve the salvation are among Christians, yet not all of them.

Naturally, Puritans believed that they are chosen ones, while non-Christians definitely won’t get to Heaven. Thus, barbarians cannot be saved. 2. Preacher Jonathan Edwards is a key figure in the process called the First Great Awakening which took place in New England in 18th century. This process was reasoned by Edwards’ himself and his followers’ (they were people who shared John Lock’s ideas) believe that Puritanism had turned the wrong path. Firstly, being a preacher himself, Edwards had stood against Puritan views on preaching.

He thought Christians should teach barbarians (Native Americans, according to Puritan view) to believe in Jesus Christ, and thus, condemned Puritans for their neglecting of missionary work. Edwards reveals his views well in his famous sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”. The God is angry