The Valley of Vision

01Understanding Puritan Spirituality: A Deep Dive into Personal Piety

Have you ever considered the depth of your personal relationship with God? How do you nurture this relationship? The Puritans, a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries, had a unique approach to these questions. They sought to purify the Church of England from what they saw as remnants of the Roman Catholic Church, and in doing so, they developed a spirituality that was deeply personal and centered on individual piety. Imagine you're on a journey. You're a traveler, and your destination is a closer relationship with God. This is how the Puritans viewed their spiritual lives. They believed that each individual was on a personal journey towards God, and this journey was marked by personal piety, or religious devotion and spirituality. This wasn't just a Sunday morning kind of piety, but a deep, daily commitment that influenced every aspect of their lives. Personal piety, in the context of Puritan spirituality, meant a life lived in devotion to God. It was about more than just attending church or reading the Bible; it was about cultivating a personal relationship with God and striving to live in a way that was pleasing to Him. This emphasis on personal piety was reflected in the Puritans' daily lives, from their work ethics to their family relationships, and even their politics. Central to this personal piety was the Puritans' belief in a direct, personal relationship with God. They believed that each individual could and should cultivate a relationship with God through prayer, Bible study, and personal reflection. This relationship was not mediated by priests or church hierarchy, but was a direct, personal connection between the individual and God. In "The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions", Arthur Bennett provides a window into this relationship through the prayers and devotions of the Puritans. For example, one prayer in the book, titled "The Valley of Vision", reflects the Puritan's deep sense of humility before God and their desire for a closer relationship with Him. The prayer begins with the words, "Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision...", expressing the Puritan's awareness of their own unworthiness and their longing for God's presence. These prayers and devotions are not just historical artifacts, but reflections of a spirituality that is deeply personal and centered on a relationship with God. Understanding the Puritan approach to spirituality can enhance our appreciation of these prayers and devotions, and perhaps even inspire us to reflect on our own spiritual practices. So, as we journey through our own spiritual lives, we might ask ourselves: How do we cultivate our personal piety? How do we nurture our relationship with God? And perhaps most importantly, how might we incorporate elements of Puritan spirituality into our own spiritual practices?