ASH 3002y Approaches to American Culture,
1607-1865
February 1, 1999
Theological Givens, Social Departures in Seventeenth-century New England
Administrative details:
websites should be up and running Wednesday--e-mail me with your URL
we'll talk next time about what you're going to do with it
screening of The Last of the Mohicans Thursday at 7:30 in Barnard 302
Introduction to Puritan Theology:
LAW: command, depends on the sovereignty of the lawgiver and requires subjection regardless of the consent of the commanded.
TESTAMENT: grounded on the will of the testator, involved bequeathing of promised legacies with no action required of the recipient.
THE FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM
The basic doctrines of Calvinism were articulated by the Synod of Dort
(1618-9), an assembly of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands that met in Dordrecht in
response to a challenge put forth
by a group of dissenters. These doctrines are often referred to as the "Five Points
of Calvinism," and can be memorized using the word "tulip" as a mnemonic
device.
Total depravity: Man is utterly corrupted by the fall,
and though he retains some rational powers, these are insufficient to fulfill God's law.
Unconditional election: The elect are predestined to salvation with no
respect to their attributes. In other words, predestination is not based on God’s
foreknowledge that a particular person will be good or bad.
Limited atonement: Christ’s sacrifice does not apply to everyone,
but only to those whom God elects to salvation.
Irresistible grace: Those whom God grants grace cannot refuse it.
Grace happens to you, without your having any power to resist it.
Perseverance of the saints: If God has genuinely granted you grace, then
you cannot fall from grace, even by sinning grieviously.
COVENANTS IN NEW ENGLAND PURITANISM
COVENANT OF WORKS: God promises to reward Adam's obedience. Adam fails to fulfill this covenant, which is thus abrogated. Puritans later use the expression "going in a covenant of works" to describe mistaken (or heretical) belief that one can achieve salvation by fulfilling God's commandments.
COVENANT OF REDEMPTION: Outside of human time, Christ covenants with God the Father to atone for Adam's sin, and the Holy Spirit agrees to apply that atonement to individuals.
COVENANT OF GRACE: God promises redemption for human faith, which is provided by God.
NATIONAL COVENANT: As you see in Winthrop's Modell of Christian Charitie, many New England Puritans believed that as a people they had a special covenantal relationship with God.
CHURCH COVENANTS: New England Puritans generally formed churches by writing and signing a church covenant. For example, in 1629 the founding members of the Salem Church signed the following covenant:
We Covenant with the Lord and one with an other; and doe bynd our selves in the presence of God, to walke together in all his waies, according as he is pleased to reveale himself unto us in his Blessed word of truth.
--in Williston Walker, The Creeds and Platforms of Congregationalism (New York: Scribner’s, 1893) 116.
Discussion of Winthrop's Modell of Christian Charitie:
Discussion of Moby-Dick:
Useful websites: