Godly Violence in the Puritan Atlantic World, 1636–1676: A Study of Military Providentialism

This book explores Puritan theology and mindset, which justified military action and acts of killing, by examining their warfare against four groups: Native Americans, royalist Episcopalians, Irish Catholics, and Scottish Presbyterians. It uses a wide range of sources to understand their attempt to understand God's will and agency in war, and considers private providential interpretations alongside published works.

Format: Hardback
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2024
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate mindset of Puritans and their theology, which provided justification for military actions and acts of killing. It explores the Puritan quest for military dominance and their efforts to establish an authoritative interpretation of God's agency in warfare. The book employs the terms "military providentialism" to describe this endeavor and "godly violence" to refer to acts of killing that were deemed both just and holy. Through a detailed examination of Puritan warfare against four distinct groups—Native Americans, royalist Episcopalians, Irish Catholics, and Scottish Presbyterians—the book sheds light on these themes. It utilizes a diverse range of printed and archival sources, including sermons, treatises, official documents, newsbooks, letters, diaries, poems, and objects related to material culture. Additionally, it considers private providential interpretations written by obscure individuals alongside published works by more prominent figures. By comprehensively analyzing these sources, the book offers a profound analysis of the mindset that sustained Puritan political theology and military action during their period of dominance on both sides of the Atlantic.

Weight: 1g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781837650149