The Puritan Ethic refers to a set of ideals comprising hard work, frugality, self-discipline, responsibility, and diligence introduced in America by Protestants (Beder, 2000). According to the ethic, a Christian is defined by his or her commitment to frugality, compassion, and hard work rather than church attendance and celebration of religious feasts (Beder, 2000).
The ethic had a great influence on Americans and their way of life. In today’s society, people utilize the ideals promoted by the Puritan Ethic to improve their lives and the lives of other people.
The sermon “Model of Christian Charity” played a key role in shaping the culture of the United States of America. John Winthrop delivered the sermon that contained several ideals (Weber, 2001). Winthrop taught that God ordained differences among people for the sake of society’s wellbeing. The differences mentioned in the sermon are present in American society. First, Winthrop acknowledged the importance of diversity among people.
The U.S. comprises different races, ethnicities, religions, and cultures that exist in harmony. Second, Winthrop preached about the importance of helping the poor (Swedberg, 2000). Rich people often engage in philanthropic activities that aim to improve the lives of poor people through eradication of ignorance, poverty, and diseases. Third, Winthrop taught about the importance of people sharing common needs.
In today’s society, the advancement of technology seeks to fulfill the needs of different groups of people. Every individual needs effective communication, efficient transport, and quality education. These needs unify people and encourage them to work together in order to find solutions to their problems. Americans live in unity because they rely on each other’s services and skills.
For instance, students need teachers, entrepreneurs need customers to buy their products, investors need financial analysts, and sick people need the services of medical practitioners. The sermon promoted puritan ideals and thus helped to create the American society that exists today. Examples of ideals promoted in the sermon include tolerance, charity, unity, humility, and compassion (Beder, 2000). In the U.S., many rich people practice philanthropy by funding projects that improve the lives of poor people.
On the other hand, tolerance among people of different cultures, religions, and races is due to possession of puritan ideals by Americans. Winthrop also preached about the importance of liberalism and worship, which are core ideals in the U.S. Protestants inculcated puritan ideas into the lives of Americans. The nation’s founding fathers applied these ideas in their personal lives.
Moreover, they used them to transform their communities and society. I believe in the Puritan Ethic because its ideals are efficacious for individual and societal development (Swedberg, 2000). I believe that a Christian should be compassionate, humble, and charitable. Attending church services and adhering to religious rituals does not make anyone a Christian.
I think minority groups benefited a lot from the Puritan Ethic. For instance, Native and African Americans learned about the importance of diversity and tolerance. Tolerance in the American society promotes cohesion among people of different races, ethnicities, and religions. Puritans did not practice slavery (Weber, 2001).
This ideal heralded the abolition of slavery in America. African Americans learned important ideals, like hard work and unity. In order to improve their status in society, African Americans worked very hard and lived in communities that promoted unity and development. They embraced hard work and created wealth that improved the quality of their lives. Today, many Americans work hard, promote unity, and help the needy.
References
Beder, S. (2000). Selling the Work Ethic: From Puritan Pulpit to Corporate PR. New York: Scribe Publications.
Swedberg, R. (2000). Max Weber and the Idea of Economic Sociology. New York: Princeton University College.
Weber, M. (2001). The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: Taylor & Francis.