The Learned Doctor William Ames

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THE LEARNED DOGTOR WILLIAM AMES Dutch Backgrounds of English and American Puritanism
Keith L. Sprunger
By his own admission, William Ames (1576-1633) was a Puritán of the "rigidest sort," a Puritán of the Puritans. This first full biography of Ames written in English emphasizes his (and the Dutch) influence on continental theology and on English and American Puritanism.
After describing Ames's philosophical and religious thought, Sprunger traces his development into "the learned Doctor of Dutch nonconformity," the moving spirit of the Dutch Puritán brother-hood. Ames combined the philosophy of Peter Ramus with orthodox Calvinist theology and Congregational church polity and became a leader in the English Calvinist dissent against established Anglican religion. Living much of his life in Dutch exile, he was an agitator and active worker in the radical Puritán community in the seven-teenth-century Netherlands, where Puritans were safe to scheme against religious authority.... Tovább

Fülszöveg

THE LEARNED DOGTOR WILLIAM AMES Dutch Backgrounds of English and American Puritanism
Keith L. Sprunger
By his own admission, William Ames (1576-1633) was a Puritán of the "rigidest sort," a Puritán of the Puritans. This first full biography of Ames written in English emphasizes his (and the Dutch) influence on continental theology and on English and American Puritanism.
After describing Ames's philosophical and religious thought, Sprunger traces his development into "the learned Doctor of Dutch nonconformity," the moving spirit of the Dutch Puritán brother-hood. Ames combined the philosophy of Peter Ramus with orthodox Calvinist theology and Congregational church polity and became a leader in the English Calvinist dissent against established Anglican religion. Living much of his life in Dutch exile, he was an agitator and active worker in the radical Puritán community in the seven-teenth-century Netherlands, where Puritans were safe to scheme against religious authority.
Activity in the Netherlands was important background for New England as well as English Puritán life. Though Ames never came to America, Sprunger stresses his role in the history of New England: "his writings became gránité blocks fastened into early American life." His legacy to New England went beyond his theological textbooks, The Marrow of Sacred Divinity and Cases of Conscience. By precept and example he was a primary builder of the Congregational way, "father" of the New England church polity.
KEITH L. SPRUNGER is professor of history at Bethel College.
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