Jews and Puritans in Early America

Description

Join us for a lecture on the Old Testament roots of the New England Puritan mode of life, and an examination of the problematic relationship Puritans had with contemporary Jews presented by Dr Michael Hoberman of Fitchburg University. When the early New England Puritans chose to reject the excessive ritual and structure of the Roman Catholic and established Anglican churches, they went back to the Bible for guidance and found a ready-to-hand model for governance in its depiction of the Old-Testament Jews. But the colonists’ relations with contemporary Jews were more problematic, as was the effort to apply Biblical law to their everyday problems and the issues involved in transatlantic trade. History Bites is a series of thirty minute lectures to inform and entertain, covering various aspects of the history of Amherst and the lives of those who once lived here. Bring your lunch, and we provide coffee, tea and cider for you as you listen to the presentations. The programs begin promptly at 12:15 with seating and beverages ready just before noon. The lectures are free and everyone is welcome to attend.