Organised dissenting groups .2817th century.29 English Dissenters

1 organised dissenting groups (17th century)

1.1 anabaptists
1.2 barrowists
1.3 behmenists
1.4 brownists
1.5 diggers
1.6 enthusiasts
1.7 familists
1.8 fifth monarchists
1.9 grindletonians
1.10 levellers
1.11 muggletonians
1.12 puritans
1.13 philadelphians
1.14 quakers
1.15 ranters
1.16 sabbatarians
1.17 seekers
1.18 socinians

organised dissenting groups (17th century)

in existence during english interregnum (1649–1660):

anabaptists

anabaptist (literally, baptised again ) term given reformation christians rejected notion of infant baptism in favour of believer s baptism.

it assumed during interregnum, baptists , other dissenting groups absorbed british anabaptists. despite this, evidence suggests relations between baptists , anabaptists quite strained. in 1624, 5 existing baptist churches of london issued anathema against anabaptists. today there still little dialogue between anabaptist organisations (such mennonite world conference) , baptist bodies.

barrowists

henry barrowe maintained right , duty of church carry out necessary reforms without awaiting permission of civil power; , advocated congregational independence. regarded whole established church order polluted relics of roman catholicism, , insisted on separation essential pure worship , discipline.

behmenists

the behmenists religious movement began on continental europe , took ideas writings of jakob böhme (behmen being 1 of adaptations of name used in england), german mystic , theosopher claimed divine revelation. in 1640s, works appeared in england , english behmenists developed. eventually, of these merged quakers of time.

böhme s writings concerned nature of sin, evil , redemption. consistent lutheran theology, böhme believed humanity had fallen state of divine grace state of sin , suffering, forces of evil included fallen angels had rebelled against god, , subsequently god s goal restore world state of grace.

however, in ways, behmenist belief deviated traditional lutheran belief. example, böhme rejected concepts of sola fide , sola gratia.

brownists

by 1580, robert browne had become leader in movement congregational form of organisation church of england , attempted set separate congregational church in norwich, norfolk, england. arrested released on advice of william cecil, kinsman. browne , companions moved middelburg in netherlands in 1581. returned england in 1585 , church of england, being employed schoolmaster , parish priest.

diggers

the diggers english group of protestant agrarian communists, begun gerrard winstanley true levellers in 1649, became known diggers due activities.

their original name came belief in economic equality based upon specific passage in book of acts. diggers tried (by levelling real property) reform existing social order agrarian lifestyle based on ideas creation of small egalitarian rural communities. 1 of number of nonconformist dissenting groups emerged around time.

enthusiasts

several protestant sects of 16th , 17th centuries called enthusiastic. during years followed glorious revolution, enthusiasm british pejorative term advocacy of political or religious cause in public. such enthusiasm seen in time around 1700 cause of previous century s civil war , attendant atrocities, , absolute social sin remind others of war engaging in enthusiasm. during 18th century, popular methodists such john wesley or george whitefield accused of blind enthusiasm (i.e., fanaticism), charge against defended distinguishing fanaticism religion of heart .

familists

the familia caritatis ( family of love , or familists ), religious sect began in continental europe in 16th century. members of religious group devout followers of dutch mystic named hendrik niclaes. familists believed niclaes person knew how achieve state of perfection, , texts attracted followers in germany, france, , england.

the familists extremely secretive , wary of outsiders. example, wished death upon outside of family of love, , re-marriage after death of spouse take place between men , women of same familist congregation. additionally, not discuss ideas , opinions outsiders , sought remain undetected ordinary members of society: tended members of established church not attract suspicion , showed respect authority.

the group considered heretics in 16th century england. among beliefs there existed time before adam , eve, heaven , hell both present on earth, , things ruled nature , not directed god.

the familists continued exist until middle of 17th century, when absorbed quaker movement.

fifth monarchists

the fifth monarchists or fifth monarchy men active 1649 1661 during interregnum, following english civil wars of 17th century. took name prophecy in book of daniel 4 ancient monarchies (babylonian, persian, macedonian, , roman) precede christ s return. referred year 1666 , relationship biblical number of beast indicating end of earthly rule carnal human beings. 1 of number of nonconformist dissenting groups emerged around time.

grindletonians

in sermon preached @ paul s cross on 11 february 1627, , published under title of white wolfe, 1627, stephen denison, minister of st. catherine cree, charges gringltonian (sic) familists holding 9 points of antinomian tendency. these 9 points repeated denison ephraim pagitt in heresiography (2nd ed. 1645, p. 89), , glanced @ alexander ross, Πανσεβεια (2nd ed. 1655, p. 365). in 1635 john webster, curate @ kildwick, before church court charged being grindletonian, , simultaneously in new england john winthrop thought anne hutchinson one. last known grindletonian died in 1680s.

levellers

the levellers political movement during english civil war emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before law , religious tolerance. levellers tended hold fast notion of natural rights had been violated king s side in civil wars (1642–1651). @ putney debates in 1647, colonel thomas rainsborough defended natural rights coming law of god expressed in bible.

muggletonians

the muggletonians, named after lodowicke muggleton, small protestant christian movement began in 1651 when 2 london tailors announced last prophets foretold in biblical book of revelation. group grew out of ranters , in opposition quakers. muggletonian beliefs include hostility philosophical reason, scriptural understanding of how universe works , belief god appeared directly on earth christ jesus. consequential belief god takes no notice of everyday events on earth , not intervene until meet bring world end.

muggletonians avoided forms of worship or preaching and, in past, met discussion , socialising amongst members. movement egalitarian, apolitical, , pacifist, , resolutely avoided evangelism. members attained degree of public notoriety cursing reviled faith. practice, proved uncannily effective, ceased in mid-19th century , 1 of last suffer novelist sir walter scott.

puritans

the puritans significant grouping of english protestants in 16th , 17th centuries. puritanism in sense founded marian exiles clergy shortly after accession of queen elizabeth in 1558, activist movement within church of england. designation puritan incorrectly used, notably based on assumption hedonism , puritanism antonyms: historically, word used characterise protestant group extremists similar cathari of france, , according thomas fuller in church history dated 1564. archbishop matthew parker of time used , precisian sense of stickler. t. d. bozeman therefore uses instead term precisianist in regard historical groups of england , new england.

philadelphians

the philadelphians, or philadelphian society, protestant 17th-century religious group in england. organised around john pordage (1607–1681), anglican priest bradfield, berkshire, had been ejected parish in 1655 because of differing views, reinstated in 1660 during english restoration. pordage attracted ideas of jakob böhme, lutheran theosophist , christian mystic.

quakers

the quakers loosely knit group of teachers grew out of seekers. george fox s journal attributes name quaker judge in 1650 calling them quakers because bid them tremble before lord .

ranters

the ranters sect in time of commonwealth (1649–1660) regarded heretical established church of period. central idea pantheistic, god in every creature; led them deny authority of church, of scripture, of current ministry , of services, instead calling on men hearken jesus within them. many ranters seem have rejected belief in immortality , in personal god, , in many ways resemble brethren of free spirit in 14th century. ranters revived brethren of free spirit s beliefs of amoralism , followed brethren s ideals stressed desire surpass human condition , become godlike . further drawing brethren of free spirit, ranters embraced antinomianism , believed christians freed grace necessity of obeying mosaic law. because believed god present in living creatures, ranters adherence antinomianism allowed them reject notion of obedience, making them great threat stability of government.

sabbatarians

sabbatarians known in england time of elizabeth (1558–1603). access bible in english allowed read english study scripture , question church doctrines, including challenging christian day of worship (sabbath) being on sunday rather judaic , christian saturday. dutch anabaptists embraced sabbatarianism, , may have helped introduce these practices england. socinians , reformed church members known hold sabbatarian beliefs. sabbatarian practitioners found within church of england in 1 form or another. puritans known harbour sabbatarian views. english sabbatarianism associated john traske (1585–1636), theophilus brabourne (1590–1662) , dorothy traske (c. 1585–1645), played major role in keeping traskite congregations growing in numbers.

seekers

the seekers not distinct religion or sect, instead formed religious society. other protestant dissenting groups, believed roman catholic church corrupt, subsequently applied church of england through common heritage.

seekers considered churches , denominations in error, , believed new church established christ upon return possess grace. anticipation of event found in practices. example, seekers hold meetings opposed religious services, , such had no clergy or hierarchy. during these gatherings wait in silence , speak when felt god had inspired them so.

furthermore, this, seekers denied effectiveness of external forms of religion such sacraments, baptism , scriptures means of salvation.

socinians

the followers of socinianism unitarian or nontrinitarian in theology , influenced polish brethren. socinians of 17th century england influenced development of english presbyterians, english unitarians , non-subscribing presbyterian church of ireland.