Throughout only a few centuries, Christian ideology transformed during the religious and scientific movements of the colonies. Differing from the original settlers of the growing community, Puritans wanted to purify the Church of England. Although the Puritans had no theological difference in belief from the Separatists and the Church of England, their beliefs of predestination, suffering, and punishment contrasted to the traditional Catholic faith and based their lives on negative, threatening assumptions of God. However, with the scientific discoveries during the Age of Reason, Christianity replaced Puritan beliefs with reason and rationality. The Age of Reason influenced His believers into a better understand of God and creation. With the
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With the influence of scientific discoveries, scientists and philosophers argued that God created a reasonable, orderly universe and His followers should lead with sympathy. Instead of placing the highest value on the afterlife, people began to value social interactions and good deeds. The Age of Reason transformed the Puritan beliefs of original sin and predestination into the idea of the tabula rasa, or blank wax tablet. John Locke explains, “we are not born with a set of innate ideas of good or evil and the mind is rather like a blank wax tablet.” Therefore, instead of followers pushing the ideas of predestination, Christians believed the good deeds done in God’s name truly mattered. The beliefs of suffering and punishment were also challenged by Deism. The Enlightenment and Deism influenced believers into rejecting the idea of God’s interference. By way of reason and enlightenment, Deists believed God created the universe, and then left His followers alone after creation. Through scientific discoveries and understanding, Christian ideology shifted from a negative tone filled with assumption to a positive tone based on …show more content…
The continued learning and strides made by the scientific community during the Great Awakening influenced Christian followers into yearning for the “revealed truth” of their religion. Through reflection of one’s actions and emotions, Christians were able to delve deeper into their relationship with God. John Locke and other heads in the scientific community inspired Christians to continue to do good for others and to reflect upon their actions: “our greatest pleasure was derived from the good we did for others.” Comparative to Puritan ideas, this shift in Christianity allowed followers to connect to their true emotions without the fear of God’s punishment: “Our sympathetic emotions (our joys as well as our tears) were not signs of human kind’s fallen state by rather a guarantee of our future glory.” Instead of emotions being a sign of God’s wrath or glory, believers began to understand their emotions simply made them human. In Jonathan Edward’s personal narrative, he openly explored his emotions about God and himself by explaining, “There seemed to be, as it were, a calm, sweet cast, or appearance of divine glory, in almost everything.” Edwards saw “God’s excellency” and “purity and love” throughout nature and his life. While feeling robust emotion through God, Christians of this time also began to reflect and analyze their emotions. Edwards often examined his turbulent emotions for God by
With the influence of scientific discoveries, scientists and philosophers argued that God created a reasonable, orderly universe and His followers should lead with sympathy. Instead of placing the highest value on the afterlife, people began to value social interactions and good deeds. The Age of Reason transformed the Puritan beliefs of original sin and predestination into the idea of the tabula rasa, or blank wax tablet. John Locke explains, “we are not born with a set of innate ideas of good or evil and the mind is rather like a blank wax tablet.” Therefore, instead of followers pushing the ideas of predestination, Christians believed the good deeds done in God’s name truly mattered. The beliefs of suffering and punishment were also challenged by Deism. The Enlightenment and Deism influenced believers into rejecting the idea of God’s interference. By way of reason and enlightenment, Deists believed God created the universe, and then left His followers alone after creation. Through scientific discoveries and understanding, Christian ideology shifted from a negative tone filled with assumption to a positive tone based on …show more content…
The continued learning and strides made by the scientific community during the Great Awakening influenced Christian followers into yearning for the “revealed truth” of their religion. Through reflection of one’s actions and emotions, Christians were able to delve deeper into their relationship with God. John Locke and other heads in the scientific community inspired Christians to continue to do good for others and to reflect upon their actions: “our greatest pleasure was derived from the good we did for others.” Comparative to Puritan ideas, this shift in Christianity allowed followers to connect to their true emotions without the fear of God’s punishment: “Our sympathetic emotions (our joys as well as our tears) were not signs of human kind’s fallen state by rather a guarantee of our future glory.” Instead of emotions being a sign of God’s wrath or glory, believers began to understand their emotions simply made them human. In Jonathan Edward’s personal narrative, he openly explored his emotions about God and himself by explaining, “There seemed to be, as it were, a calm, sweet cast, or appearance of divine glory, in almost everything.” Edwards saw “God’s excellency” and “purity and love” throughout nature and his life. While feeling robust emotion through God, Christians of this time also began to reflect and analyze their emotions. Edwards often examined his turbulent emotions for God by