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Protestantism
Although Puritanism occasionally refers to the early Protestant movement as a whole, it specifically refers to the English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to further reform the Church of England. English Puritanism is descended from Calvinism, and shares most of its same beliefs.
Puritanism Quotes in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism quotes below are all either spoken by Puritanism or refer to Puritanism. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Part 2, Section 2
Quotes
What is really reprehensible is resting on one’s possessions, enjoyment of wealth with its consequences of idleness and the lusts of the flesh, and particularly distraction from striving for a “holy” life. And it is only because possessions bring with them the danger of this resting that they are dubious. […] according to god’s unambiguously revealed will, it is only action, not idleness and indulgence, that serves to increase his glory. Wasting time is therefore the most serious of all sins.
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Above and beyond this, however, work is the end purpose of life commanded by God. The Pauline principle “He who will not work, shall not eat,” applies absolutely and to everyone. Unwillingness to work is a symptom of the absence of the state of grace.
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To want to be poor, it was often argued, was the same as wanting to be ill; it was to be condemned as seeking justification [salvation] by works, detrimental to the glory of God. Most of all, begging by one who is capable of work is not only sinful sloth, but is also […] contrary to charity.
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Puritanism Term Timeline in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The timeline below shows where the term Puritanism appears in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Section 1: Denomination and Social Stratification
...be. And while Protestants were always “acquisitive,” Protestants were far from hedonistic or pleasure-seeking in Puritan movements and Calvinist churches.
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Part 2, Section 1: The Religious Foundations of Innerworldly Asceticism
...already established, though they don’t know whether it will be heaven or hell. For the Puritans (which grew out of Calvinism), Weber argues that this created both their negative attitude towards...
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This pessimistic individualism is particularly notable in Puritan literature, much of which even advises trusting no one but God and being suspicious of...
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Part 2, Section 2: Asceticism and the Capitalist Spirit
...treat Protestant asceticism as a “single phenomenon” to simplify his examination. Weber states that English Puritanism, which developed out of Calvinism, provides the best archetype to study new asceticism. English Puritanism...
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...represents the real threat; only the enjoyment of wealth and its luxury is sinful. The Puritan may be extravagantly wealthy and still ascetic, so long as they don’t stop working in...
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Since Puritan theology celebrates the profit-seeking middle-class businessman, theologians like Baxter highlighted Old Testament scriptures that imply...
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Weber describes that the Puritan’s “rational asceticism” is wholly opposed to the “uninhibited enjoyment of life.” However, they did permit...
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Weber concludes that Puritan asceticism was handed down to modern society, even for those not religious themselves: “The Puritans...
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