17th Century Protestant Thoughts and the Sermons of the English East India Company

Abstract

The aim of this article is to show the religious thoughts of the Reformation and its effects in England and how prayer guides and prayers were written for the English East India Company during the 17th century. The religious changes of the Early Modern Era can be found even in the relation of trading companies to religion. Religiousness was very important in that time, not only in the motherland but also on the seas and in foreign lands. Next to theological theories, 17th century sermons, prayers and prayer guides were also consulted in the writing process of this article. Religion and trade did not exclude each other, the contemporaries thought that these mutually helped each other and the merchants were the link that connected the two even more.