Prof. Emeritus Dr. Francis Bremer Continues Academic Work Well After Retiring

Professor Emeritus of History Dr. Francis J. Bremer, who retired from Millersville University's Department of History in 2011, has remained active in his research and teaching on 17th century religion.

This year (2026), he accomplished several noteworthy academic achievements, and in November, his career will be recognized with a one-day symposium in Boston sponsored by the Partnership of Historic Bostons, Massachusetts Historical Society, Colonial Society of Massachusetts, American Ancestors and the Congregational Library and Archives.

Bremer's first book, "The Puritan Experiment: New England Society from Bradford to Edwards," has been revised and updated in honor of the 50^th anniversary of its publication in 1976. Widely used in classrooms over the years, it is a classic text on the early puritans described by Amazon as "an accessible, authoritative account of early New England, one with an enduring appeal for students and general readers."

This revised and updated edition explains puritanism while incorporating fresh insights from current scholarship, including new information about lay empowerment, the role of women, Native society, and the enslavement of Native Americans and Africans. "As our society changes, we ask new questions about the past, prompting the exploration of neglected sources and reevaluation of earlier perspectives," says Bremer.

Bremer was also invited to teach two classes in July that were part of an online course on the Plymouth colony titled "Beyond the Mayflower: History, Culture, and Encounter in Plimoth Colony." The course was offered by American Ancestors, a national nonprofit center for family history, heritage and culture based in Boston that serves more than 400,000 members and online subscribers through AmericanAncestors.org. More than 300 signed up for the series.

Bremer has published 18 books on the puritans, five of them since his retirement. In addition, he also has "a few other books coming out," he says. They include the "Oxford Handbook of Puritanism" and an edition of the writings of Plymouth's colonial governor William Bradford, both of which he co-edited. He is also working on a biography of Bradford.

Asked what compels him to continue with this academic work after retiring 15 years ago, he responded that he has never lost his enthusiasm for exploring the complexities of the past and looking for how the lives and ideas of past Americans can help us to understand how today's society evolved. "The puritan Oliver Cromwell insisted that his portrait be painted 'warts and all,' " says Bremer. "Too often the puritan story has been distorted by those who focus only on the warts, of which there were many, or photoshop out the warts. At a time when the past is distorted in both ways for political purposes, it is more important than ever to tell the story in all its complexity."