Jonathan+Edwards

JonathanEdwards1703-1758JonathanEdwards(1703-1758)HistoricalBackgroundLifeLeaderoftheGreatAwakeningAspectsofEdwards’ReligiousPhilosophyJonathanEdwardsborninConnecticut,sonofaPastor.HegraduatedintheologyatthetopofhisclassatYale,and.wentontoteachtheology,followingavocationasaCongregationalistpastor.WhileservingasamissionarytotheHousatonicIndians,Edwardsbecomeaneminenttheologian;subsequentlyelectedPresidentofPrinceton.Diedofsmallpoxin1758.HistoricalBackgroundAmericanPuritanismAmericanRevolutionEnlightenment(启蒙运动)AmericanPuritanismI.Puritans=Calvinistsa:JohnCalvin,atheologian,Puritansbelievedmostdoctrinespreachedbyhim,sotheywerealsocalledCalvinistsb:Puritanswantedto“purifythechurch”toitsoriginalstate,becausetheythoughtthechurchwascorruptedandhadtoomanyritualsc:TobeaPuritan:takingreligionasthemostimportantthing;livingforglorifyingGod;believingpredestination（命运天定）,originalsin（原罪，人生下来就是有罪的，因为人类的祖先亚当和夏娃是有罪的）,totaldepravity（人类是完全堕落的，所以人要处处小心自己的行为，要尽可能做到最好以取悦上帝）,limitedatonement（有限救赎，只有被上帝选中的人才能得到上帝的拯救）d:LifestyleofPuritans:pious,austerityoftaste,diligenceandthrift,rigidsenseofmorality,self-reliance(JohnMiltonisatypicalPuritan.)AmericanPuritanismII.AmericanPuritana:AmericanPuritanswereallidealistastheirEuropeanbrothers.TheycametothenewcontinentwiththedreamthattheywouldbuiltthenewlandtoanEdenonearth.b:AmericanPuritansweremorepracticalmaybebecausethesevereconditionstheyfaced.AmericanPuritanismIII.Influenceonliteraturea:BasisofAmericanliterature:thedreamofbuildinganEdenofGardenonearth(EarlyAmericanliteratureweremainlyoptimisticbecausetheybelievedthatGodsentthemtothenewcontinenttofulfillthesacredtasksotheywouldovercomeallthedifficultiestheymetatlast.GraduallyAmericansfoundthattheirdreamswouldnotbesuccessful,solotsofpessimisticliteraryworkswereproduced.)b:Symbolism（象征主义）:lotsofAmericanwriterslikedtoemploysymbolismintheirworks.(typicalwayofPuritanswhothoughtthatallthesimpleobjectsexistingintheworldconnoteddeepmeaning.)Symbolismmeansusingsymbolsinliteraryworks.Thesymbolmeanssomethingrepresentsorstandsforabstractdeepmeaning.c:Style:simple,freshanddirect(justasthestyleoftheAuthorizedVersionofHolyBible)AmericanRevolution(StrictrulesmadebyEnglishgovernmentpreventedtheeconomicdevelopmentofthecolonies.Itwasunfair.SoAmericanIndependenceWarbroke.)1775,Lexington,beginningoftheIndependenceWarJune4th,1776,ThomasJefferson,DeclarationofIndependence1778,alliancewithFrance,turningpointforAmericanarmy1778,Englisharmysurrendered1783,formalrecognitionfromBritaingovernmentEnlightenment(启蒙运动)OriginatedinEuropeinthe17thcenturyResources:Newton’stheory;deism（自然神教派，宗教与启蒙精神相结合的产物）;Frenchphilosophy(Rousseau,Voltaire)Basicprinciples:stressingeducation;stressingReason(Order)(TheagehasbeencalledAgeofReason.);employingReasontoreconsiderthetraditionsandsocialrealities;concernsforcivilrights,suchasequalityandsocialjusticeRepresentatives:BenjaminFranklin,ThomasPaine,ThomasJeffersonetc.Influenceonliterature–Inform:imitatingEnglishclassical（古典主义）writers–Incontent:utilitarian(功利主义)tendencyforpoliticaloreducationalpurpose)LifeofJonathanEdwardsBorninaveryreligiousNewEnglandfamilyGraduatedfromYaleWorkedasaministerandwasanimportantfigurein“GreatAwakening”(aseriousofreligiousrevivalswhichoccurredinthe1730sand1740sonNorthAmericacontinent)DismissedfromhispositionbecauseoffiercereligiouscontroversyatthattimeLivedandmeditatedinsolitude;wrotesomebooksMoreaboutHisLifeInfluencedbythenewideasofEnlightenment,suchasempiricismStillapiousPuritanHissenseofGod’soverwhelmingpresenceinnatureandinsoulanticipatedtheTranscendentalism.FirstmodernAmericanandthecountry’slastmedievalmanLeaderoftheGreatAwakeningconsideredtheleaderofTheGreatAwakeninginNewEngland---anamegiventoareligiousrevivalin1730swhichbroughtaboutthefollowingchangesinthePuritantheology:1.Stressedtheemotionalsideofreligion.2.Thisweakenedinstitutionalauthority;regenerationwasnotcertifiedbychurch,butbyone’sownemotionalconviction.3.Itbypasseddoctrinalorthodoxy;theconvert’simmediatesenseofparticipatinginspiritualrealityrenderedintellectualformulationslesssignificant.4.Itmadereligionmorepopular;itiseasiertoexperienceemotionalexcitementthanrationalunderstanding.5.Itmadereligionmoredemocratic;byemphasizingtheindividualexperienceofconversion,andtheequalcapacityofeveryone,childoradult,richorpoor,ignorantorwise,tobetouchedbytheinnerexperienceofgrace.6.Itmadereligiontrans-colonial;breakdownofdistinctionsbetweenchurchandcreed,itencouragedtheproliferationofsectswhichledtovaguenessindoctrine,laxnessindiscipline,andfadedintogeneralreligiousindifference.Itgaverisetoacommunityorganizedinpursuitofsecularvalues.AspectsofEdwards’ReligiousPhilosophy1.Hismysticalconversionatageseventeen–-IoftenusedtositandviewtheMoon,foralongtime;andsointhedaytimespentmuchtimeinviewingthecloudsandsky,tobeholdgloryofGodinthesethings;inthemeantime,singingforth,withalowvoice,mycontemplationsoftheCreatorandRedeemer.fromPersonalNarrative.2.HeagreedwithJohnLockeintheconceptthatideasaregeneratedbysenseimpressions–-knowled