Nationwide fast and thanksgiving days in England, 1640-1660
This thesis seeks to show that nationwide fast and thanksgiving days were not the handmaidens of a puritan parliamentarian cause, but synonymous with monarchy, custom, and traditional English worship. It investigates the question of what happened to nationwide prayer days, which were ordered on royal authority, when Charlesâs authority was challenged in the 1640s and two rival authorities began to order occasions. It then analyses their continuities and changes through the 1650s and re-emergence in the traditional model at the Restoration. It is argued that belief in providence was a central motivation in the ordering and observance of special worship. This is in contrast to the predominant historiographical view, which focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between these occasions and their political contexts. This is not to say that politics did not play a significant role; it did. Rather that this should not overshadow recognition that these were primarily religious events. Indeed, these occasions are worthy of investigation precisely because of their politico-religious nature. Examination of the frequency of prayer days demonstrates key turning points in this period, changes in ordering processes
Bates, Lucy-Ann
Nationwide fast and thanksgiving days in England, 1640-1660. This thesis seeks to show that nationwide fast and thanksgiving days were not the handmaidens of a puritan parliamentarian cause, but synonymous with monarchy, custom, and traditional English worship. It investigates the question of what happened to nationwide prayer days, which were ordered on royal authority, when Charlesâs authority was challenged in the 1640s and two rival authorities began to order occasions. It then analyses their continuities and changes through the 1650s and re-emergence in the traditional model at the Restoration. It is argued that belief in providence was a central motivation in the ordering and observance of special worship. This is in contrast to the predominant historiographical view, which focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between these occasions and their political contexts. This is not to say that politics did not play a significant role; it did. Rather that this should not overshadow recognition that these were primarily religious events. Indeed, these occasions are worthy of investigation precisely because of their politico-religious nature. Examination of the frequency of prayer days demonstrates key turning points in this period, changes in ordering processes
nationwide fast day england seek_show nationwide fast day puritan parliamentarian cause synonymous monarchy custom traditional english worship investigates question happen nationwide prayer day ordered royal_authority charles authority challenge rival authority begin order occasion analysis continuity_change re_emergence traditional_model restoration argued belief providence central motivation order observance special worship contrast predominant historiographical view focus_almost exclusively relationship occasion political_context say politics play_significant_role rather overshadow recognition primarily religious event indeed occasion worthy investigation precisely politico religious nature examination frequency prayer day demonstrate key turn_point period change order process