For some 21st century readers, there may be confusion about names referred to in Puritan and Reformed literature. So this is intended as a helpful (read: humorous) guide to select prominent Reformed individuals in church history.
William Ames was an English Puritan; Willie Aames is the actor who starred in Eight is Enough and Charles in Charge.
Thomas Manton was an English Puritan; Thomas Manton IV is a modern-day self-proclaimed "prophet."
John Owen was an English Puritan; Johnny Owen was a Welsh boxer.
Thomas Watson was an English Puritan; Thomas A. Watson is the man whose name Alexander Graham Bell first called on the telephone.
David Clarkson was an English Puritan; David Clarkson is a Canadian ice hockey star.
Robert Shaw was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian who authored a commentary on the Westminster Confession; Robert Shaw was the English actor who starred in Jaws, The Sting, From Russia With Love and A Man For All Seasons.
John Kennedy (of Dingwall) was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian; John F. Kennedy was an American president.
William Cunningham was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian; Billy Cunningham was an American college and professional basketball star.
Jonathan Edwards was an American Puritan; John Edwards is an American Democratic politician.
Who can think of other names shared by Puritans or Reformed figures and notables from popular culture or modern history?
I'm not sure he is reformed, but there's George Bush, the author of Notes, Critical and Practical, on the Book of Exodus - not to be confused with either President.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Heidi. The name is striking and his story is certainly interesting. He was a liberal Presbyterian. I found a little blurb about him:
ReplyDeleteGeorge Bush (1796-1859) was a prominent biblical scholar, preacher and controversialist. After graduation from Dartmouth in 1818 and study at Princeton Theological Seminary, Bush was ordained at the Salem Presbytery in Indiana (1825) and was appointed pastor of a church in Indianapolis. His religious views, described as 'liberal' or 'progressive,' rapidly came into conflict with those of his more conservative parishioners and in 1828, this conflict culminated in his termination, following a statement in which he disputed the scriptural authority of Presbyterian church government.