 | Building a New Jerusalem Subjects: Davenport John 1597–1670; Puritans -- New England -- Biography; Puritans -- Connecticut -- New Haven -- Biography; Puritans -- England -- Biography; Puritans -- Netherlands -- Biography; New England -- Church history; New England -- History -- Colonial; The life of John Davenport, who co-founded the colony of New Haven, has long been overshadowed by his reputation as the most draconian of all Puritan leaders in New England--a reputation he earned due to his opposition to many of the changes that were transforming New England in the post-Restoration era. In this first biography of Davenport, Francis J. Bremer shows that he was in many ways actually a remarkably progressive leader for his time, with a strong commitment to education for both women and men, a vibrant interest in new science, and a dedication to promoting and upholding democratic principles in his congregation at a time when many other Puritan clergymen were emphasizing the power of their office above all else.
Bremer's enlightening and accessible biography of an important figure in New England history provides a unique perspective on the seventeenth-century transatlantic Puritan movement. #160; Francis J. Bremer is professor of history and chair of the history department at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of Puritanism: A Very Short Introduction and biographies of Anne Hutchinson and John Winthrop. #160; |
