Covenant Liberty in Puritan New England

“Covenant Liberty in Puritan New England,” in Frederick S. Carney, Heinz Schilling, and Dieter Wyduckel, eds., Jurisprudenz, Politische Theorie und Politische Theologie (Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2004), 169-189

Emory Public Law Research Paper No. 04-3

25 Pages Posted: 4 May 2004 Last revised: 17 Apr 2020

See all articles by John Witte

John Witte

Emory University School of Law

Abstract

This Article argues that New England Puritan covenant theology was a fertile seedbed for a number of American constitutional ideas of ordered liberty and orderly pluralism. Puritan constructions of the "liberty of covenant" inspired later theories of liberty of conscience and free exercise of religion. Puritan constructions of social, political, and ecclesiastical "covenants of liberty" provided a foundation for later understanding of republican nationalism, separation and cooperation of church and state, and sundry checks and balances on authorities within both church and state.

Suggested Citation

Witte, John, Covenant Liberty in Puritan New England. “Covenant Liberty in Puritan New England,” in Frederick S. Carney, Heinz Schilling, and Dieter Wyduckel, eds., Jurisprudenz, Politische Theorie und Politische Theologie (Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2004), 169-189 , Emory Public Law Research Paper No. 04-3, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=537522

John Witte (Contact Author)

Emory University School of Law ( email )

1301 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
United States
404-727-6980 (Phone)
404-712-8605 (Fax)

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
306
Abstract Views
3,542
Rank
159,289
PlumX Metrics