Lecture 2 Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography in the.pptVIP

Lecture 2 Review of Puritanism and Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography in the “Age of Reason” Checking S’s understanding of Puritanism Discussion and Analysis: Representative work in the Age of Reason: Autobiography by B. Franklin. Assignments for Week 3 Puritanism 1628 - John Winthrop and followers came over from Europe in order to establish a “pure” religious movement, wishing to “purify” the religious practice of church. One of the enduring influences in American thought and American literature. Basic beliefs Total Depravity - through Adam and Eves fall, every person is born sinful - concept of Original Sin. Unconditional Election - God saves those he wishes - only a few are selected for salvation - concept of predestination. Limited Atonement - Jesus died for the chosen only, not for everyone. Irresistible Grace - Gods grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied. Grace is defined as the saving and transfiguring power of God. Basic beliefs Perseverance of the saints - those elected by God have full power to interpret the will of God, and to live uprightly. If anyone rejects grace after feeling its power in his life, he will be going against the will of God - something impossible in Puritanism. Gods intentions are present in human action and in natural phenomenon. Failure to understand these intentions are human limitations. The belief that saved believers, those with visible signs of grace, can fall into temptation and become sinners. (To prevent this, believers were expected to do constant soul-searching, be introspective, and pray constantly.) Basic beliefs Manifest destiny “天定命运观” John Winthrop : ... for we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; ... Exhorting his listeners to carry on Gods mission and to set a shining example for the rest of the world. Root of “Manifest Destiny” 16世纪的欧洲爆发了一场以新教伦理为导向的宗教改革运动(REFORMATION)，其主要的理论体系之一是加尔文的“因信得救”的“预定论”，即上帝以其绝对的意志进行挑选，被选中者就是“上帝的选民”，其他则为弃