The Last American Puritan

The Last American Puritan, Volume 1, is a detailed biography exploring the life of Increase Mather. This history and religious study examines Mather as the primary spokesman for Congregationalism during the colonial period in the United States. From his birth in Dorchester in 1639 to his tenure as president of Harvard, Mather served as a powerful preacher and a political negotiator within the halls of Parliament.

Michael G Hall utilizes transcribed diaries to chronicle Mather's journey through faith and intellect. This biography and autobiography focuses on his efforts to reconcile new sciences with Christian theology while battling personal struggles with melancholy. As a central figure in early American Christianity, Mather represents the final influential figure of the Puritan era. This work provides a scholarly look at the intersection of religion and politics in early New England.