Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God is a Media Gratie , 2-hour full-length film production. Media Gratie calls it “A beautiful, atmospheric documentary following the birth of Puritanism through its present day influence”. A review on the film’s website shares the following:

“This was a fantastic, well-made resource for the church. The visuals were stunning, the music was beautiful, and the narration and interviews were thought provoking and God glorifying. I am so joyful to have this resource to share with my brothers and sisters in order for them to learn about the Puritans.” – Jeff M.

The film offered at AGTV state the following:

“If you think the Puritans are defined by scarlet letters and witch burnings, you really don’t know these physicians of the soul. Get to know the Puritans in this feature-length documentary that spans continents and centuries.

Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God is part of a larger study on the Puritans. In addition to the film, we have made 16 small group teaching sessions on the times, lives, and themes of the Puritan movement. To learn more about those sessions and the accompanying books that are a part of the overall Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God project, visit https://www.mediagratiae.org/puritan”

Here’s Dan’s chapter by chapter summary of the film:

Chapter I: The Dawn of Puritanism 00:01 – 24:00 min.

The term “Puritan” was coined in the 1560’s as a derogatory term for the English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of what they considered to be Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. The Puritan movement grew out of the English Reformation that began with John Wycliffe and his desire to translate the Bible into English, followed by William Tyndale and his translation of the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into common English. At the same time, Martin Luther was translating the Bible into German.

Providentially, Henry VIII, who broke with the Roman Catholic church for personal reasons, declared himself the supreme head of the Church of England and opening the door for the Protestant Reformation in England.

Sir Thomas Cranmer became the Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry VIII died and his son Edward became King and officially established Protestantism in England. When Edward died at the age of 15, a “tug of war” between Protestantism and Catholicism ensued. Lady Jane Gray, a Protestant claimed the throne of England, only to be executed after only 9 days as Queen, at the hands of Mary I (Bloody Mary), a Roman Catholic. She arrested Protestant Thomas Cranmer and forced hm to watch the martyrdoms of Bishops Latimer and Ridley, who were also Protestants. Cranmer recanted his conversion from Catholicism and almost immediately withdrew his recantation, was tossed back into prison and eventually burned at the stake.

As a result of Mary’s executions of Protestants, Puratinism flourished. 800 Protestants fled England for mainland Europe and were welcomed by other Reformers such as John Calvin and Heinrich Bullinger. After Mary died and Elizabeth I became Queen in 1558 they returned to England, ready to institute reform for the Church of England under Protestant Elizabeth, who they thought didn’t go far enough in ridding the Church of Catholic practices.

In 1559 Elizabeth passed the Act of Uniformity requiring the use of the Book of Common Prayer in every church and levied fines on those who didn’t attend church at least once a week. The Elizabethan Church also adopted some of the same practices of Roman Catholicism and many of the Puritans feared a return to Catholicism and traditions of men, rather than “all to the glory of God”..

Chapter II: The Marks of Puritanism 24:00 – 40:00

The Puritans, following the lead of Luther, Calvin, and Bullinger, adopted The Five Solas; Grace Alone, by Faith Alone, through Christ Alone, to the Glory of God Alone, and Scripture Alone as their highest and only authority. The following distinctives marked the Puritan movement:

1. The Trinitarian nature of God.

2. The church as crucial to the purposes of Christ

3. The necessity of personal conversion (John 3:3)

4. The fearsome power of preaching God’s Word

Chapter III: The Architects of Puritanism 40:00 – 54:30

1. William Perkins

2. William Ames

3. Thomas Goodwin

4. Richard Sibbes

Chapter IV: The Scattering of Puritanism 54:30 – 1:07

On September 6, 1620 120 Puritans boarded the Mayflower and set sail for the New World, in search of religious freedom.

In 1625 Charles I became King of England and was strongly apposed by the Puritans in Parliament. In 1629 Charles dissolved Parliament, which was interpreted as a hostile act against them. The situation for Puritans that remained in England only worsened.

In 1628, William Laud, a Catholic was appointed as Bishop in London. In 1633 he was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury. He violently opposed the Puritan.

Many Puritans emigrated to the Netherlands and supported the Dutch Reformation.

In 1630 John Winthrop led the fist large scale emigratin of Puritans, settling in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

During the next 10 years some of the most celebrated preachers in England joined them: John Cotton, Thomas Hooker, Thomas Shepard & John Eliot, who learned the Algonquin language and ministered to the native population. He translated the Bible into the Algonquin language – the first Bible published in the New World.

In 1636 the Puritans founded Harvard University, to perpetuate an orthodox Christian ministry in the colonies. By 1700, liberalism was creeping into the school.

Back in England William Laud was pushing into Scotland trying to force Church of England Anglicanism on Scottish Presbyterians. Samuel Rutherford was perhaps the most famous Scottish Theologian.

Chapter V: The Waxing and Waning of Puritanism 1:07 – 1:30

King Charles still refused to work with Parliament while persecution of Puritans continued, led by William Laud. In 1641 Parliament called for Laud’s imprisonment. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London for several years and executed. In May 1642, King Charles was forced to flee London.

In the mid-1640’s more than 100 Puritan Leaders met at Westminster Abbey to revise the 39 Articles of the Church of England but ultimately rewrote them, creating the Westminster Standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism).Significant is that the men who worked on the Westminster Standards agreed on Reformed Calvinistic theology,

In 1648, Oliver Cromwell and his army defeated the Loyalist forces of King Charles and Charles was executed for treason in 1649. The monarchy was over and Cromwell established a new Puritan Commonwealth. John Owen, one of the greatest Puritan theologians was made Chancellor of the University of Oxford. The Puritan Commonwealth lasted only a decade – until Cromwell died. The throne was restored and had a parliamentary basis, with the power limited by the hands of the people.

However, with a monarch restored there came more persecution of the Puritans. Anglican loyalists pressured the new King (Charles II) to compel obedience to a new Act of Uniformity or leave the ministry. Over 2,000 ministers refused to take the oath of the Act of Uniformity and either resigned or were expelled from the Church of England in what was called the Great Ejection.

In 1665 the Five Mile Act was established forbidding Puritan ministers from living within 5 miles of the church from which they were expelled, unless they swore an oath never to resist the King. The persecution of the Puritans lasted for 25 years and cost many famous Puritan pastors their livelihoods, their liberty, and sometimes their lives.

When William and Mary became King and Queen of England the persecution of the Puritans was suspended. At long last the Puritans could establish their own churches and worship as their consciences required. It wasn’t the end of their battles but it was at least the end of the open hostility of the state.

Chapter VI: The Reawakening of Puritanism 1:30 – 1:41

Puritan scholars generally agree that Puritanism as a movement died in the early 18^th century, except for a few men, like Jonathan Edwards and a some others. Since Edwards, there have been flashes of the old Puritan spirit. George Whitefield was one of those preachers who held to a strong Puritan Reformed theology and mindset. Charles Spurgeon was another. Martyn Lloyd Jones was another. They have all been called “The Last Puritan’ at one time or another. and has been called the Last Puritan. They all shared a fear of the Lord, an awed adoration of the God of creation and salvation. God’s being and doing conditions all that we are and all that we do.

Chapter VII: the Legacy of Puritanism 1:41 – End

The Puritans were flawed men, just like all of us. Their flaws, whatever they might have been should not be cause to consign them to ‘the dustbin of history’ and ignore their contributions to not only the Reformed faith, but to all of Christianity.(Dan’s summary).

The Puritans mastered the art of theological exposition, something not often seen in today’s pulpits. Their piety, godliness, and heart for God should be an example to us all. They understood the necessity of sanctification. They understood the necessity of the truths of theology to take root in their heart and in their life. They understood the nature of sin and Christ’s mercy. They were strong in areas that today’s evangelicals generally are not.

There is much more to this fine film, especially the interwoven biographical sketches of the great men of the Puritan movement. Then there’s being able to see and listen to the narrators, along with the historical pictures and photographs interwoven throughout the film.

Be Blessed!

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Film narrators included: Al Mohler, Conrad Mbewe, Geoff Thomas, Gloria Furman, Ian Hamilton, Jeremy Walker, J.I. Packer, Joel Beeke, John MacArthur, John Piper, John Snyder, + Kevin DeYoung, Leland Ryken, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever, Michael Reeves, Rosaria Butterfield, Sinclair Ferguson, Stephen Nichols, & Steven Lawson

You can access Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God at the following links:

Puritan — Media Gratiae:Single DVD, Deluxe Edition Boxed Set – 6 DVD, Book, Lesson Workbook

Puritan: All of Life to the Glory of God – AGTV (watchagtv.com): Watch the movie.

amazon.com/Puritan-All-Life-Glory-God/dp/B07XHFJRPN: Rent or Buy