Is Puritanism (Puritans) religion still active in America today? Where?

Question

This religion has something to do with England of the 16th & 17th centuries. Any connections with the Pilgrims? The Puritans had a half-way covenant. Anyone know about the above, for instance, an organization in America that has information on them?

Answer 1

The Puritans and Pilgrims were dissenters, in one degree or another, from the Church of England, or the Anglican Church, now in America known as Episcopalian. When Plymouth (the Pilgrim colony) was united with the Puritan colony of Massachusetts they formed the Congregational Church. Most churches in America are Congregational in style - the churches select their own minister. Conversely, in Episcopalian or Catholic churches bishops, cardinals or Popes, or Archbishops, select certain ministers.

There are still churches were consider themselves Congregational by theology, but they aren't quite like the Puritans. Since the Church of England has much less influence in America, especially in government, Congregational churches have sort of become non-denominational.

Oh, I haven't quite explained. The Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Anglican church, but the Puritans wanted to "Purify" the church of its corruptions. Once in America though the Puritans became much more Separatist (Pilgrim) and that is why New England was the quickest to seek independence. Virginia, though, was loyalist and Anglican for a substantial time because of the influence of the Church of England.

Answer 2

No. Some people claim they are the modern version, but they lie. Some of the traditions do survive, like witch hunts, land grabs and genocide.

Answer 3

I see their intellectual and spiritual descendants in every "family" group and in the entire Religious Right.

Answer 4

Not sure but Richard Nixon was a Quaker and I thought they were no longer around.

Answer 5

If you look at some of the posts on here, yes.