What is the difference between Protestants and puritanism?

Answer 1

"Protestant" is a general term for all those Christian groups that "protested" the Roman Catholic church in the 1500s-1600s. It began with the "reformation" of Martin Luther in 1517 when he posted his "95 theses" on a church door. (The "theses" were individual topics he wanted to argue in formal debate with church leaders.) "Puritan" refers to English Christians who believed that the "English Reformation" begun when King Henry 8th separated from the Catholic church to form the Angican church (or "the church of England") didn't go far enough. They believed its doctrines (church teachings) and rituals needed changes. They believed they should "purify" it from within, and not just leave it. "Pilgrims," on the other hand, believed the English church was not able to be fixed. They encouraged Anglican Christians to "separate" themselves from the church, and form a new church of gr eat simplification of doctrine and practice. Such "Separatists" became "Pilgrims," largely based on the book "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan. Both Pilgrims and Puritans were aboard the "Mayflower" when it landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Their religious ideas and practices became the basis for what would become the "congregational" denomination (with all power centered in the local congregation). Both the Puritans and the Pilgrims (and today's Congregationalists, now part of the larger denomination called the United Church of Christ) are Protestants, as are Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Adventists, and in fact all but the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox denominations, and Episcopalians.

Answer 2

Puritans were Protestants after a fashion, though separate and stricter in personal conduct than the average. Originally Protestantism referred to the organizations that broke away from the Catholic Church for one reason or another. There are those erroneously referred to as Protestant.. Baptist for one, also the Puritans. Many Puritans were breakaways from the Church of England which was Protestant and also why there was so much trouble between the Puritans and the Catholics in the very early years of American settlement. A further thought, as to the spirituality of the Puritans, remember, they are those who burned, drowned and hanged people for witchcraft, as did the Church of England before them.
Puritans were Protestants.
Puritans were Protestants.

Answer 3

Puritanism is a sect of Protestantism