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,graduatedfouryearslater•In1723,hetookhisM.A.inYale•In1726hebecameassistanttohisgrandfatherIn1729,hewasnamedtobetheministerofthechurchofNorthampton•Hewasinpartinstrumentalinbringingaboutthe“GreatAwakening”from1730sto1740s•In1750,hewasdismissedfromhispositionbecauseoffiercereligiouscontroversyatthattime.•Helivedandmeditatedinsolitude,wrotehisgreatestbooksinthenextmostproductiveeightyears.•Hediedofasmallpoxinoculationin1758AspectsofEdwards’ReligiousPhilosophy•1.Hismysticalconversionatageseventeen.“IoftenusedtositandviewtheMoon,foralongtime;andsointhedaytimespentmuchtimeinviewingthecloudsandsky,tobeholdgloryofGodinthesethings;inthemeantimesingingforth,withalowvoice,mycontemplationsoftheCreatorandRedeemer.”fromPersonalNarrative”•2.HeagreedwithJohnLockeintheconceptthatideasaregeneratedbysenseimpressions“knowledgemustbesupplementedbyfaith.”•3.Hebelievedintheintuitiveprocess;apersonmustpassivelysurrendertoreceivegracethroughsenses.Onecannotachievesavinggracethrougharationalprocess.•4.FromIsaacNewton,EdwardsborrowedtheconceptthattheharmoniousworkingoftheuniversereflectedthemagnificenceoftheGreatGeometricianorGod.Edwards’doubleidentitiesreflectedinhisworksHewasthefirstmodernAmericantryingtoreconcilingPuritanideaswiththenewrationalismofJohnLock(knowledgeisempirical,itssourcesbeingthesense)andNewton’smechanicalviewoftheuniverse.HewasAlsotheLastMedievalMan•(1)“Ihavehada…constantsenseoftheabsolutesovereigntyofGod”HeinsistsonthedoctrineofinwardcommunicationofsoulwithGod•(2)beliefintheregenerationofman;urginghispeopletoenjoy“conversion”withthehelpofGod(“sinnerswerealwaysexposedtosuddenunexpecteddestruction”)•(3)doctrineoftheimmanenceofGodinnature(ImagesorShadowsofDivineThings)MajorWorks•TheFreedomoftheWill(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.LeaderoftheGreatAwakeningHewasconsideredtheleaderofTheGreatAwakeninginNewEngland--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.