Jonathan Edwards 美国文学作业

JonathanEdwards

(乔纳森•爱德华兹)

HeisthelastandthemosteminentPuritantheologian.HistoricalBackgroundEnlightenmentthoughtsareinfluentialoverthemindofthepeoplesuchasNewton’stheory;deism（自然神教派，宗教与启蒙精神相结合的产物）;Frenchphilosophy(Rousseau,Voltaire)AmericanPuritanismisatwo-facetedtraditionsofreligiousidealismandlevel-headedcommonsense.JonathanEdwardsrepresentstheformeraspectLifeExperiences(1703-1758)In1716,attheageof13,hewasadmittedtoYale,graduatedfouryearslaterIn1723,hetookhisM.A.inYaleIn1726hebecameassistanttohisgrandfatherIn1729,hewasnamedtobetheministerofthechurchofNorthamptonHewasinpartinstrumentalinbringingaboutthe“GreatAwakening”from1730sto1740sIn1750,hewasdismissedfromhispositionbecauseoffiercereligiouscontroversyatthattime.Helivedandmeditatedinsolitude,wrotehisgreatestbooksinthenextmostproductiveeightyears.Hediedofasmallpoxinoculationin1758AspectsofEdwards’ReligiousPhilosophy1.Hismysticalconversionatageseventeen.“IoftenusedtositandviewtheMoon,foralongtime;andsointhedaytimespentmuchtimeinviewingthecloudsandsky,tobeholdgloryofGodinthesethings;inthemeantimesingingforth,withalowvoice,mycontemplationsoftheCreatorandRedeemer.”from"PersonalNarrative”2.HeagreedwithJohnLockeintheconceptthatideasaregeneratedbysenseimpressions“knowledgemustbesupplementedbyfaith.”3.Hebelievedintheintuitiveprocess;apersonmustpassivelysurrendertoreceivegracethroughsenses.Onecannotachievesavinggracethrougharationalprocess.4.FromIsaacNewton,Edwardsborrowedtheconceptthattheharmoniousworkingoftheuniversereflectedthemagnificenceof"theGreatGeometrician"orGod.Edwards’doubleidentitiesreflectedinhisworksHewasthefirstmodernAmericantryingtoreconcilingPuritanideaswiththenewrationalismofJohnLock(knowledgeisempirical,itssourcesbeingthesense)andNewton’smechanicalviewoftheuniverse.HewasAlsotheLastMedievalMan(1)“Ihavehada…constantsenseoftheabsolutesovereigntyofGod”HeinsistsonthedoctrineofinwardcommunicationofsoulwithGod(2)beliefintheregenerationofman;urginghispeopletoenjoy“conversion”withthehelpofGod(“<sinners>werealwaysexposedtosuddenunexpecteddestruction”)(3)doctrineoftheimmanenceofGodinnature(ImagesorShadowsofDivineThings)MajorWorksTheFreedomoftheWill(1754)《自由意志论》TheGreatDoctrineoforiginalSinDefended(1758)《发怒上帝手中的罪人》TheNatureofTrueVirtue(1765)《真美德的性质》PersonalNarrative《个人自述》ImagesorShadowsofDivineThing《神的影子与肖像》TheGreatAwakening(大觉醒)StartedamongPresbyteriansinPennsylvaniaandNewJersey.Itwasareactionagainsttheformalityoftheestablishedcongregationalchurches.Itledtothefoundingofanumberofacademiesandcolleges.ItwasthefirstcommonexperiencesharedbylargenumbersofAmericansandfosteredthedevelopmentoftheAmericanidentity.ThemovementalsoledtoafissurewithinAmericanProtestantismbetweentraditionalistswhoinsistedonritualanddoctrineandthenewrevivalistswhostressedanintenselypassionatecommitmenttoreligion.

LeaderoftheGreatAwakening

HewasconsideredtheleaderofTheGreatAwakeninginNewEngland--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;breakdownofdistinctionsbetweenchurch