Have you heard the term “Puritanical” used to refer to buttoned-up attitudes about sex? A persistent myth about the Puritans is that they were prudes who disdained talk about sex and sought to repress sexual expression. An examination of their writings and behavior reveal that most Puritans were surprisingly open. Many – including Massachusetts’ first governor and his wife - freely expressed their passionate longings towards their loved ones, and were eager to fulfill their duties in marital relationships. Surprise yourself with this scholarly, masterful, and unexpected talk by one of the world’s leading scholars on Puritan New England.
**Francis J. Bremer** is Professor Emeritus of History at Millersville University of Pennsylvania and Coordinator of New England Beginnings, a partnership of institutions and individuals organized to commemorate the cultures that shaped early New England. He is the author of over a dozen books on puritanism in the Atlantic world, including most recently _Lay Empowerment and the Development of Puritanism_. _One Small Candle: the Plymouth Puritans and the Beginning of English New England_ will be published in August.