The Puritans were a diverse group of people who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe, mainly England. Among believers, they are best known for their high view of the Bible and its influence on their lives. Over the years, many words have been written about prominent male Puritans. But little has been said about their female counterparts.
So Jenny-Lyn de Klerk wrote 5 Puritan Women: Portraits of Faith and Love to introduce us to five unknown but impressive Puritan women. De Klerk believes it will benefit us to learn about Puritan women so we can understand who they are and their contributions to church history.
She says, “Puritan women are valuable subjects of study for believers today—you and me—because they had great insights into the Christian life and good instincts regarding matters of human relationships. This is partly because the Puritans as a whole stand out in church history for being particularly skilled at applying the Bible to all areas of existence, making them some of the best figures to consult on various topics of Christian living even hundreds of years later.”
This book focuses on only five Puritan women: Agnes Beaumont, Lucy Hutchinson, Mary Rich, Anne Bradstreet, and Lady Brilliana Hartley. Each chapter features a snapshot of a Puritan’s life, samples of her writing and theology, and how she applied spiritual practices in her home. Every chapter also highlights a specific theme and relationship dominating the woman’s writings.
At only 160 pages, the book does not feature complete biographies of these women. Instead, it provides snapshots of the women’s lives interspersed with theological themes.
As someone fascinated by the Puritans and who considers them excellent role models for personal holiness, I was thrilled to discover this book! Before reading this book, I only knew Anne Bradstreet. And I enjoyed learning more about her and finding the other four women.
It pleased me to learn Puritan women (at least the five in this book) took piety and theology as seriously as men. Mary Rich notably marked me with her rigorous meditation discipline. Every day she spent two hours in the woods to meditate, then spent time afterward reading Scripture and praying. These frequent meditations gave her great insights into the Christian life, as evidenced by her writings featured in the book. I was also inspired and impressed by the women’s faith and resilience in the face of tremendous adversity and sorrow.
The book is also easy to read and engaging. Klerk has a very conversational tone and injects comments occasionally, which may or may not be to everyone’s liking. I prefer fewer inputs from the author in a biography so I can focus on the person of interest. I found the author’s presence a bit much with this book, and it was hard to “lose myself” in the stories.
Overall, 5 Puritan Women is an interesting book that introduces you to five remarkable Puritan Women. These ordinary women—mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters—strove to serve God and pursue His holiness. And their stories provide us with lessons that will inspire us to seek God and strive for holy living. I am ecstatic that books are being written on women in church history, and I hope many more will follow!
*Crossway publishers graciously gave me a copy, and this is my honest review.*
Grace and peace to you!
