清教主义起源于16世纪下半叶的英国,后在北美殖民地得以实践与发扬。其主张的天职思想、因信称义、预定论、禁欲主义和信徒皆祭司等核心理念促进了社会世俗化的进程,赋予了工商业经营、赢利及财富积累等活动道德肯定和宗教依据,铸就了美国商人艰苦创业、回报社会的商业精神。在清教主义的指引下,早期美国清教徒在美洲大陆开始艰苦的创业,完成了由信徒到商人身份的转换。 Puritanism originated in England in the second half of the 16th century and was practiced and carried forward in North American colonies. The ideological duty of propitiation advocated by the core concepts of Justification, Predetermination, Asceticism and Priesthood, promoted the process of social secularization, gave moral and religious basis for business management, profit making and wealth accumulation, and built up American businessmen work hard to repay the commercial spirit of the community. Under the guidance of Puritanism, the early American Puritans began their arduous pioneering activities on the American continent and completed the conversion from believer to businessman.