Puritan Sabbatarianism
Puritan Sabbatarianism[1] or Reformed Sabbatarianism, often just Sabbatarianism,[2] is observance of Sabbath in Christianity that is typically characterised by devotion of the entire day to worship, and consequently the avoidance of recreational activities.
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Origins
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During the
History
Sunday Sabbatarianism as
Though there are slight differences between confessional formulations of British and continental European Reformed churches, in the seventeenth century there came to be a consensus among the Reformed that the Sabbath should be devoted primarily to the worship of God.[8]
Puritan Sabbatarianism is enshrined in its most mature expression, the
7. As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.
8. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe a holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
Jonathan Edwards delivered three sermons on The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath that are central to Puritan tradition.[1] The first sermon emphasises Sabbath as an immutable, divine natural and positive law (as to proportion), while the second emphasises an alteration of "another law, which determined the beginning and ending of their working days" (as to order); the first day of creation is regarded as unknowable, and the weekday assigned to Sabbath regarded as not revealed until the Exodus.[1][11] The third sermon regards the proper keeping of Sabbath: "We are strictly to abstain from being outwardly engaged in any worldly thing, either worldly business or recreations," because "the sabbath-day is an accepted time, a day of salvation, a time wherein God especially loves to be sought, and loves to be found."[11]
Though modern expression of Puritan Sabbath has been caricatured as being boring, organisations that promote Sabbaths as joyous, delightful appointments include Day One Christian Ministries.[14]
In the United States throughout the nineteenth century, Protestant moralists organized the "Sabbath reform" that pushed for stricter Sunday keeping. Their efforts prompted the enforcement of
Civil Law
In 1671, the Province of Massachusetts Bay, codified the following law with respect to the Sunday Sabbath in its charter:[17]
That whosoever shall profane the Lords-day, by doing unnecessary servile work, by unnecessary travailing, or by sports and recreations, he or they that so transgress, shall forfeit for every such default forty shillings, or be publickly whipt: But if it clearly appear that the sin was profoundly, Presumptuously and with a high hand committed, against the known Command and Authority of the blessed God, such a person therein despising and reproaching the Lord, shall be put to death or grievously punished at the Judgement of the Court.[17]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Dennison Jr., James. "The Perpetuity and Change of the Sabbath". Ligonier Ministries.
- ^ Cramb, Auslan (13 April 2006). "The 'sinners' set sail for the Hebrides". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- ISBN 9780802805393.
- Eerdmans. pp. 158–160.
- ^ Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 103.
- Puritan Reformed Journal. 4: 162. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ a b Coldwell, Chris (2007). "Calvin in the Hands of the Philistines: Or Did Calvin Bowl on the Sabbath?". Naphtali Press.
- ^ a b Gaffin, Richard B. Jr. (2004). "Westminster and the Sabbath". In Duncan, J. Ligon III (ed.). The Westminster Confession into the 21st Century. Vol. 1. Ross-Shire, Scotland: Christian Focus. pp. 123–124.
- ^ Manetsch, Scott M. (2013). Calvin’s Company of Pastors: Pastoral Care and the Emerging Reformed Church, 1536–1609. Oxford Studies in Historical Theology. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 131.
Between 1542 and 1609, the Consistory frequently interviewed and sometimes reprimanded people for working on Sunday, whether for pruning trees, making lace, selling tripe, unloading boats, hunting birds, or moving furniture. The Consistory also disciplined people for engaging in recreational activities on Sunday that were deemed inappropriate for spiritual refreshment, such as hunting, dancing, banqueting, playing tennis or billiards, or bowling skittles. When Sunday labor was born out of service to the community rather than avarice, the ministers normally showed leniency.
- ^ a b c Williamson, G. I. (1978). The Westminster Confession of Faith for Study Classes. Presbyterian and Reformed. pp. 170, 173.
- ^ a b Edwards, Jonathan (1839). "The Works of Jonathan Edwards". pp. 93–103.
- ^ Bright, Steve (2003). "Sabbath Keeping and the New Covenant". Christian Research Journal. 26 (2). Christian Research Institute.
- ^ Williamson, G. I. (1977) [1970]. The Shorter Catechism. Vol. 2. Tyson, Thomas, illus. Presbyterian and Reformed. p. 47.
- ^ Olyott, Stuart. "Why Sunday?". Day One Christian Ministries. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
- ^ Clark, R. Scott (2 September 2013). "Are There Two Distinct Reformed Views Of The Sabbath?". Heidelblog. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- Clark, R. Scott (13 January 2007). The Law and the Sabbath. The Law of God and the Christian. Escondido, CA: Westminster Seminary California. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
- ^ Volk, Kyle G. (2014). Moral Minorities and the Making of American Democracy. New York: Oxford University Press.
- ^ a b William Addison Blakely, Willard Allen Colcord, ed. (1911). American State Papers Bearing on Sunday Legislation. The Religious Liberty Association.