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American Transcendentalism, a history
Apr. 24th, 2008 10:41 amAmerican Transcendentalism, a history by Philip F. Gura. Hill & Wang 2007. 306 pages plus extensive footnotes, index. St Paul Public Library owns this.
A very extensive account, beginning with the teens of the 19th century, and following the movement until it dispersed in the 1880s and 90s. This book discusses many people connected with the movement, not just the well known ones like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Theodore Parker. It examines the roots of the movement in new translations of writings of other world religions as well as in the Higher Criticism, the examination of the Bible in light of historical, linguistic and other knowledge. Transcendentalism was, in many ways, an outgrowth of the American Unitarians. Therefore, this book also contains much material on the theology of the Unitarians of the time, and the conflicts within it, and with other denominations.
The controversies of the time included whether Jesus was divine or human, whether individual salvation was more important than the spiritual progress of the society, and whether God is "a personality or an organizing power in Nature." The Transcendentalists were very concerned with the nature of the divine, and especially with the idea of the divine dwelling within every human being, and often, within all of the natural world. Most of them were idealistic, and utopian communities like Brook Farm were the result.
The rise of the abolition movement and other social causes ultimately took energy and interest away from the more theological concerns of Transcendentalism, starting in the 1840s. Many of the leaders became more concerned with a corrupt and corrupting society than with the exact nature of the Divine. Nevertheless, it continued to have influence on religion and philosophy well into the 20th century
I found this book fascinating, but because it is dense and scholarly, it took me weeks to finish, reading a few pages at a time. It’s especially interesting that many of the conflicts described are still controversial. Many Pagan may find this book useful, since significant ideas in modern Neo-Paganism actually come into Western thought through the Transcendentalists. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of religion.
A very extensive account, beginning with the teens of the 19th century, and following the movement until it dispersed in the 1880s and 90s. This book discusses many people connected with the movement, not just the well known ones like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Theodore Parker. It examines the roots of the movement in new translations of writings of other world religions as well as in the Higher Criticism, the examination of the Bible in light of historical, linguistic and other knowledge. Transcendentalism was, in many ways, an outgrowth of the American Unitarians. Therefore, this book also contains much material on the theology of the Unitarians of the time, and the conflicts within it, and with other denominations.
The controversies of the time included whether Jesus was divine or human, whether individual salvation was more important than the spiritual progress of the society, and whether God is "a personality or an organizing power in Nature." The Transcendentalists were very concerned with the nature of the divine, and especially with the idea of the divine dwelling within every human being, and often, within all of the natural world. Most of them were idealistic, and utopian communities like Brook Farm were the result.
The rise of the abolition movement and other social causes ultimately took energy and interest away from the more theological concerns of Transcendentalism, starting in the 1840s. Many of the leaders became more concerned with a corrupt and corrupting society than with the exact nature of the Divine. Nevertheless, it continued to have influence on religion and philosophy well into the 20th century
I found this book fascinating, but because it is dense and scholarly, it took me weeks to finish, reading a few pages at a time. It’s especially interesting that many of the conflicts described are still controversial. Many Pagan may find this book useful, since significant ideas in modern Neo-Paganism actually come into Western thought through the Transcendentalists. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of religion.
