Richard Greenham

the long version

Who was Richard Greenham? Why is he important? In what way or ways does he represent and reflect early English Puritanism? What were the basic features of his theology? These are some of the questions addressed in this volume. The life and thought of Greenham are described and analyzed in the context of his day and time. In the first half of the book, Greenham's life is reviewed. Greenham has long been regarded as the quintessential Puritan, and his twenty-one year ministry at Dry Drayton near Cambridge has been described as one of the first attempts in England to construct "a model Puritan parish.". The second half of the book is an examination of Greenham's theology. Primus persuasively argues that Greenham's theology is rooted in various Protestant sources such as Luther, Bucer, Calvin, and Bullinger. The doctrines of God and the Word of God form the foundation of Greenham's faith. His hermeneutics and his preaching principle is the law-gospel dialectic associated with Luther. His most original contribution is his doctrine of the Sabbath. He is moderate on predestination; strong on piety and social ethics; and emphatically communal or churchly in his view of the Christian life. His worldview reflects the pilgrim metaphor more than cultural affirmation.