Female Piety in Puritan New England The Emergence of Religious Humanism

Amanda Porterfield documents the claim that for Puritan men and women alike the ideals of selfhood were conveyed by female images. Constructed largely by men, Porterfield argues, these female images taught self-control, shaped pious ideals, and also established the standards against which the moral character of actual women was measured. Porterfield's work reflects a synthesis of literary critical and historical methods, combining analysis of Puritan theological writings withdetailed examinations of historical records of changing patterns of church membership and domestic life.Porterfield, Amanda is the author of 'Female Piety in Puritan New England The Emergence of Religious Humanism' with ISBN 9780195068214 and ISBN 0195068211.