Transcendentalism

944 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The Roots of Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism

The highly religious philosophy of Transcendentalism developed as the response of a group of people who felt that it was unnecessary to practice a religion (and live a life) that was based on fear. The first Transcendentalists set out to create a more liberal way of life that allowed for personal growth, justice and freedom. To truly understand the implications of Transcendentalism and why Transcendentalists believed what they did, one must first look at the root of Transcendentalism, Unitarianism.

Unitarians were a liberal, cutting edge group of people that completely discarded the standards of Calvinism. Where Calvinists believed that man had a degraded and depraved nature, Unitarians believed that people are basically good. Where Calvinists believed that knowledge of God and ethics came to people through the Bible and Clergy, Unitarians believed that people were capable of discerning truth and goodness with their own capabilities. Unitarians rejected the ideas that people were born into sin and that one had to work hard and suffer all of one’s life in order to secure passage into heaven.

Moreover, they strongly advocated the idea that people had free will and that rational thinking was the way into heaven. One particular Unitarian, William Ellery Channing helped personify the ideas and ideals held by Unitarians.

William Channing (1780-1842) was a pastor at the Federal Street Church in Boston and stressed the idea that it was an individual’s responsibility to listen and act according to his own conscience. Channing also supported the humanitarian reform and helped to link the liberal ideas of Unitarianism to those of humanitarianism. Channing managed to balance the rationalism of Unitarianism with a concern for the welfare of humanity.

As time went on, the ways of Unitarianism began to change and the pillars of the religion began to evolve into something that struck many as “distressingly cold and formal” and “vague and passionless.” (The National Experience, pg. 261). The religion was also beginning to focus more on material success, rather than spiritual well being. While the foundation of Unitarianism began to lose its fervor, a new movement was forming. In and around Boston, a romantic movement was beginning and the rational ideas of Unitarianism began to lose favor. Romanticists rejected the idea that e...

... middle of paper ...

...chings that men are evil and corrupt.

The origins of the spiritual movement of Transcendentalism were fueled not only by religions of the day, but by a yearning for something more than what was believed in those religions. The rise of Transcendentalism was due to the transformation of Unitarianism as well as the beginning of a romantic movement which opened people’s eyes to the idea that everything could not be proven through rational thought. This idea paired with the thought that people were essentially good opened the door to a society based on human decency rather than fear.

Bibliography

1. Rose, Anne. Transcendentalism As A Social Movement, 1830-1850. Michigan: Edward Brothers, Inc., Copyright 1981, pg. 93-95.

2. Blum, John; McFeely, William; Morgan, Edmund; Schlesinger, Arthur; Stampp, Kenneth and Woodward, C. The National Experience. Orlando, FL: Hartcourt Brace, Inc. Copyright 1993, pg. 260-262.

3. “Transcendentalism,” Compton’s Encyclopedia. Volume 23, Copyright 1990, pg. 248

4. “Transcendentalism,” Collier’s Encyclopedia. Copyright 1994, pg 405-406.

5. “Ralph Waldo Emerson,” Dictionary of American Biography. Volume 3, Copyright 1959, pg. 132-141.

Show More
Related

  • The Philosophies of Transcendentalism

    372 Words  | 1 Pages

    Transcendentalist writing had to do with the human sprit and its connection to nature. Transcendentalist thinkers believed that all things that occurred in nature were supposed to happen. For example, if there were forest fire that happened naturally, it would be looked at as a good thing because the ground gets nutrients. An anti-transcendentalist would see forest-fires as an act of destruction.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast New England And A Model Of Christian Charity

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mankind can be conceived in interesting ways by analyzing the writings of John Smith and John Winthrop.  As I read through John Smith‘s “A Description of New England” and John Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity,” it became evident to me that the two readings had similar and different viewpoints of the essential nature of man.  Throughout my paper, I will compare their similar beliefs of community and diversity of people and completely contrast their ideas of emphasis on religion and relationships with enemies.

    Read More

  • Comparing Transcendentalism In Emerson And Henry David Thoreau

    552 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transcendentalism was born between the 18th and the early 20th century. It's a philosophy of individualism and self-reliance. Transcendentalists strongly believed in the power of the individual. Their beliefs are intently linked with those of the romantics but varied by an endeavor to embrace or to not abjure the factual science. Additionally, they believed that society and its institution primarily manipulated the integrity of the individual. They had faith that people are at their best when they are frankly self reliant and independent. Both Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau believed in transcendentalism and dedicated their occupation to follow transcendentalist philosophy. Furthermore , they were major figures in the American Intellectual movement . They shared congruent ideas but used different ways to deliver it .

    Read More

  • Great Awakening

    1439 Words  | 3 Pages

    The earliest occurrence of the American phase of this movement appeared among Presbyterians in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Led by Reverend William Tennent, the Presbyterians not only commenced religious revivals in those colonies during the 1730s but also established a seminary to train clergymen whose exhilarating style of preaching would bring sinners to experience evangelical conversion. Originally known as "The Log College," it is better known today as Princeton University.

    Read More

  • Transcendentalism in America: The Philosophical and Literary Movement

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1830s was a time of serious religious conflict. Many people, especially authors, had different opinions on how to find true spirituality. In the end, authors in America created Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that searches for individual truth through spiritual reflection, complete solitude, and a deep connection with nature. Because this was established by authors, many of them wrote different pieces reflecting and using the beliefs of Transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered to be the father of Transcendentalism. He wrote many influential pieces that follow and emphasize major Transcendental beliefs. The major beliefs include the over-soul, nature, and senses. In addition to those, there are minor beliefs and overall ways of living. These beliefs were included in Transcendental pieces as a general way to share the belief and to create a movement. Due to the use of nature, senses, and the over-soul as its three core Transcendental beliefs, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Nature” successfully explain the fundamentals of Transcendentalism.

    Read More

  • Ralph Waldo Emerson And The Transcendentalism Movement

    290 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Transcendentalism movement grew out of Unitarianism, which is a religious movement in which it is strongly stood behind the bringings of stability, rational though, and marks of Enlightened Christianity. Unitarianism would try to increase their relevancy by start to instill their values, and eventually

    Read More

  • Transcendentalism

    1611 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people have theories and philosophies about life in general. There have been hundreds of thousands of books published by many different people on the ideas of people in the past and the present. Transcendentalism falls in amongst all of these ideas. There have been articles, essays, poems, and even books written about this subject. Transcendentalism has effected many people since the philosophy was first introduced. The idea was complex and hard to grasp for many commoners and therefore it was understood by few people, and some would think that the idea was not understood at all and that was part of the idea. Henry David Thoreau once stated about himself, “I should have told them at once that I was a transcendentalist. That would have been the shortest way of telling them that they would not understand my explanations” (Reuben 1).

    Read More

  • Henry David Thoreau's Influences In The Antebellum Period

    989 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thoreau wrote, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” The words transformed people’s lives to think more of the why in life and live with a purpose not just do what they are told, which was a driving idea within the Transcendentalist movements. Transcendentalist were hard to define, but perhaps one of the fathers of transcendentalism Ralph Waldo Emerson defines it most gracefully in a speech he gave, “The Transcendentalist adopts the whole connection of spiritual doctrine, He believes in miracle, in the perpetual openness of the human mind to new influx of light and power: he believes in inspiration, and in ecstasy”. As Emerson’s key student and self-proclaimed Transcendentalist Thoreau fulfilled these requirements to help further this movement of higher

    Read More

  • Transcendentalism Today

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transcendentalism is a philosophy that has been passed down through the ages. Just like the world and the people that inhabit it, transcendentalism has changed over time. Since technology has advanced over time, people have thought differently about things. Even though many people have changed their thinking, many others haven’t. There are some people who have slight transcendentalist features. Others have strong transcendentalist features and like to spread the word as often as possible.

    Read More

  • Essay On Transcendentalism

    1230 Words  | 3 Pages

    The movement of transcendentalism was a powerful movement that began to emerge in American in the nineteenth century. These powerful movements made readers question, challenge, and examine what they were accustomed too. Transcendentalism was the belief that what the person can see, touch, feel, taste, or comprehend goes beyond those senses. People were to knowledge their thoughts through instinct and imagination not through logic or the senses; they were to trust themselves to be their own authority on what is right. When people were able to receive these ideas not as a religious beliefs, but as a way of understanding life then they were consider a transcendentalist. Transcendentalism was one of the many literary writing styles used during

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Transcendentalism

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transcendentalism is a social, religious, and literary movement: a philosophy. Combining elements from the romantic period with eastern philosophical beliefs, it sought to fight against rationalism and conformism by inspiring individuals to look into their inner selves and embrace their own beliefs. One of the spearheads leading this movement was Ralph Waldo Emerson: an American writer and philosopher who sought to teach others what he himself had found. Transcendalists, such as Emerson, viewed society as a catalyst for downfall and instead believed that humans were inherently good and pure; embracing our inner feelings and emotions and ignoring expectations and conformity are essential to achieve happiness and fulfillment. Such ideas can

    Read More

  • The Devil And Tom Walker And Transcendentalism Essay

    962 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transcendentalism was a religious movement that started in the late 1820s and 1830s. The main focus of transcendentalism was the perfection and goodness of a human being, nature, and the universe; it was also thought independence brought about the best in people. It was presumed that society was the cause of the corruption of purity in a person. Anti- Transcendentalism was a more realistic view of the world. They thought man was capable of evil as well as easily being deceived and their proneness to sin and self-destruction. Anti- Transcendentalists believed that making decisions solely on logic will create a negative effect in actions and thoughts.

    Read More

  • Transcendentalism: The Concept Of Individuality And The Beauty Of Nature

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    Transcendentalism was a movement that began in the 1830s through the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. It has to do with self reliance, nature and the connection between man, God, and nature. It tells you to listen to oneself and go by one's own choices instead of what society tells one to do. It shows the beauty in nature and all of what can come out of it. People today often don't think that way anymore and have argued that Transcendentalism has died out over the years. However, one may need to take into account modern conception of individuality and the beauty of nature. Transcendentalism has not died out and is still thriving in American culture through music of Twisted Sisters, Nirvana, kendrick Lamar, and The Beatles

    Read More

  • The Effectiveness of Sanctions

    2049 Words  | 5 Pages

    Kimberly Ann Elliott, Institute for International Economics, "Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Economic Sanctions," Statement before the Subcommittee on Trade of the House Ways and Means Committee, October 23, 1997. The text of her statement can be found at http://www.iie.com/sanctns.htm.

    Read More

  • Calvinism

    1927 Words  | 4 Pages

    The central assertion of Calvinism canons is that God is able to save from the tyranny of sin, from guilt and the fear of death, every one of those upon whom he is willing to have mercy. God is not frustrated by the unrighteousness or the inability of men because it is the unrighteous and the helpless that he intends to save. In Calvinism man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that, which is good and well pleasing to God; but yet mutably, so that he might fall from it. This concept of free choice makes Calvinism to stand supreme among all the religious systems of the world. The great men of our country often were members of Calvinist Church. We had the number of Presbyterian presidents, legislators, jurists, authors, editors, teachers and businessmen. The revolutionary principles of republican liberty and self-government, taught and embodied in ...

    Read More

More about Transcendentalism

Open Document