Puritan Sabbatarianism

Sabbath Eve, painting by Alexander Johnston.

Puritan Sabbatarianism[1] or Reformed Sabbatarianism, often just Sabbatarianism,[2] is observance of Sabbath in Christianity that is typically characterised by devotion of the entire day to worship, and consequently the avoidance of recreational activities.

Unlike seventh-day Sabbatarians, Puritan Sabbatarians practice first-day Sabbatarianism (Sunday Sabbatarianism), keeping Sunday as Sabbath and referring to it as the Lord's Day. Puritan Sabbath, expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith, is often contrasted with Continental Sabbath:[3][4] the latter follows the Continental Reformed confessions such as the Heidelberg Catechism, which emphasise rest and worship on the Lord's Day, but do not forbid recreational activities.[5][6] However, John Calvin believed Christians were commanded to avoid recreation as well as work on Sunday to devote the day to worship,[7] and during the seventeenth century there was consensus among continental as well as British Reformed theologians that the entire Sabbath was to be set aside for worship.[8]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference dennison was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cramb, Auslan (13 April 2006). "The 'sinners' set sail for the Hebrides". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  3. ^ Marsden, George (1991). Understanding Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. Eerdmans. p. 25. ISBN 9780802805393.
  4. ^ Bromiley, G. W. "Lord's Day". International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Eerdmans. pp. 158–160.
  5. ^ Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 103.
  6. ^ Hyde, Daniel R. (2012). "Regulae de Observatione Sabbathi: The Synod of Dort's (1618–19) Deliverance on the Sabbath". Puritan Reformed Journal. 4: 162. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Coldwell was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gaffin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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