Puritans believed grace was given to whom?

Study for the Chronological Movements in American Literature Test. Explore key literary developments with multiple-choice questions, flashcards, and detailed hints. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Puritans believed grace was given to whom?

The idea at work here is predestination. Puritans, shaped by Calvinist thinking, believed grace isn’t offered to everyone; it’s given to a select few whom God has chosen from the beginning—the elect. This means salvation and divine favor aren’t earned by baptism, church status, or outward belonging to a group, but flow to those God has predetermined to save. Baptism marks a covenant participation, but it doesn’t guarantee grace to all who receive it. Similarly, grace isn’t limited to church elders or to a broad, inclusive portion of the church; it rests with the individuals God chose. So the best answer reflects the Puritan view that grace is reserved for a limited, divinely chosen group from the start.

The idea at work here is predestination. Puritans, shaped by Calvinist thinking, believed grace isn’t offered to everyone; it’s given to a select few whom God has chosen from the beginning—the elect. This means salvation and divine favor aren’t earned by baptism, church status, or outward belonging to a group, but flow to those God has predetermined to save. Baptism marks a covenant participation, but it doesn’t guarantee grace to all who receive it. Similarly, grace isn’t limited to church elders or to a broad, inclusive portion of the church; it rests with the individuals God chose. So the best answer reflects the Puritan view that grace is reserved for a limited, divinely chosen group from the start.

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