Demonic Imagination Of The Puritans Of New England In The American Colonial Period

In the idea and discourse expression of the Puritans of New England in the American colonial period,Satan existed in the wilderness,the border,Europe and the community,and "recruited" the Indians,the New French,Andros,heresy,magic practitioners,witches and other "human demons”,trying to subvert "the holy New England community ".From the perspective of Puritan demonic imagination,this thesis clarifies the process of the Puritan demonization of Indians,New French,Andros,heresy,magic practitioners,witches.In terms of Indians,the Puritans constructed the images of "Indians deceived by Satan","praying Indian" and "preying Indians" in the three different stages of their first encounter with the Indians,the transformation of the Indians,and the battle with the Indians.And by this means,the Puritans strengthened their identity as "God’s chosen People".In terms of New French,the Puritans inherited the European tradition of Protestant demonization of Catholics,build the New French into "Antichrist","the New French demonic legion ".And by this means,the Puritans strengthened their identity as "British","Protestants".In terms of Andros,the Puritans adopted the discourse of anti-Catholicism,anti-popery,identification of Antichrist in the process of overthrowing the regime,strengthened their identity as "international Protestant collaborators",and constructed the imagination of "anti-tyranny”.In terms of heresy,magic practitioner and witches in the community,the Puritans shaped these "others" in the community as Satan’s attendants and took action to eliminate these "others" in order to clear their own boundaries with these "others" and strengthen their orthodox identity as "God’s chosen People".The demonic imagination of the New England Puritans in the American colonial period was their response to "others" that existed in the wilderness,the border,Europe and the community,a means of consciously constructing and further strengthening their identity,and had a profound impact on the evolution of American religious culture and ethnic relations.