The Puritan belief in the authority of scripture profoundly shaped their worship services. Not the sacraments but the sermon became the central element. Since they believed that Scripture was the ultimate authority and the primary means by which God’s will was revealed, the sermon – focused on explaining and applying the Bible – became the focal point of their gatherings.

While sermons in modern UCC churches are significantly shorter (Puritan sermons lasted between one to two hours), they remain the centerpiece of our worship. 

The Puritan belief in scripture’s authority and God’s sovereignty profoundly influenced church architecture, drawing from Calvin’s redesign of the church as a “schoolhouse” for learning. Calvin introduced pews to facilitate extended attention to sermons, making the church a place for hearing and understanding Scripture. The focus on God’s sovereignty also led to the use of clear windows instead of stained glass, symbolizing the belief that God’s reign extended beyond the church into the entire world.

While the fact that our windows are a radical statement of theology goes mostly unremarked upon, these architectural features are on display at churches across New England.

Their belief in covenant theology had big implications for how the Puritans understood church. The believed that a church was a two-way covenant: 1) a vertical covenant between God and a group of believers, signifying God’s chosen relationship with that community, and 2) a horizontal covenant among the people themselves. The horizontal covenant meant that the members of the congregation agreed to “walk together” in faith, supporting one another in living out God’s will.

While we don’t talk about often, this is still the basic definition of a local church in the UCC. In our membership ceremony, when you affirm our faith and mission, you are “owning the covenant.”  

The authority of Scripture, priesthood of all believers, and covenant theology led to local church autonomy by empowering congregations to govern themselves. Scripture was the final authority, believers had direct access to God, and each congregation was bound by a covenant with God, making external control unnecessary.

Over the years, local church autonomy is what has allowed the UCC churches to be open to new theologies and adopt progressive stances. There is no hierarchy that needs to be convinced – every congregation can act out of its own conscience.

The Puritans’ belief in the sovereignty of God and scripture as the ultimate authority shaped their resistance to external, human authorities. For them, God’s rule and biblical teachings were the highest measures of truth and justice. This led to a rejection of hierarchical systems – whether religious or political – that did not align with Scripture. Puritans believed that all individuals were accountable directly to God, fostering a sense of autonomy and resistance to power structures that imposed unbiblical practices or laws. Notably, the Puritans furnished the theological framework for the Revolutionary War.

This anti-authoritarian streak continues through our commitment to inclusivity and advocacy for those marginalized by broader society or government. Just as the Puritans resisted unjust authorities, the UCC works to uphold justice and equality, advocating for those discriminated against by standing against systems of oppression.

The Puritan belief in the sovereignty of God and double predestination led them to a deep concern for justice. Since God was sovereign over all creation, Puritans believed society should reflect divine justice, with laws and practices that upheld righteousness. Although salvation was predestined, the need to demonstrate signs of being among the elect fueled their efforts to build just, moral communities. By promoting fairness, caring for the vulnerable, and maintaining order, they hoped to affirm their place in God’s favor, making justice an outward expression of their spiritual anxiety.

While most modern Christians disavow the doctrine of double predestination, the sovereignty of God is still a driving theological force behind our political advocacy and justice work. Every time we talk about building God’s kingdom of love and justice, we are talking about the sovereignty of God. 

Puritans believed deeply in the authority of scripture, that the Bible was the literal word of God. However, their belief in the priesthood of all believers caused them to emphasize the individual’s role in interpreting scripture through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They likewise insisted on continual reformation of the individual and the church and the individual to align with biblical truth. This created a dynamic relationship between the authority of scripture and the need for constant renewal.

The UCC has run with these concepts by embracing continuing revelation and liberal interpretations that take the Bible seriously but not literally. While maintaining reverence for scripture, the UCC views it as a product of human authorship inspired by God, allowing for contextual reinterpretation. The church sees the Bible as a living text, through which the Spirit continues to speak to and reform us.