ipl-logo

Transcendentalist Views On Secular Government

980 Words4 Pages

Secular governing, also known as the separation of church and state, has not been around for a long period of time. Since before the United States was founded, there have been many radical changes in the general consensus on whether or not a government should encourage or even force a religion on its people. With Puritanism, Deism, and Transcendentalism, it is easy to see a change in attitudes as the years went by. The canonical literature created by some of the celebrated writers in the United States shows a progression over time in regards to different beliefs and their views on secular governments.
In the Puritan way of life, religion is essential; therefore, there was no separation of church and state in their government and it was important …show more content…

They leaned towards anarchy -- most did not want a government; but, if they had to have one, the church and state would be separated. A famous Transcendentalist author named Henry David Thoreau explained in his essay Civil Disobedience that “that government is best which governs not at all,” in response to Jefferson’s statement that “that government is best which governs least” (269). Thoreau’s reply to said statement reflects the views that many Transcendentalists had at the time. They believed that the government should interfere less with the individual; however, they thought that the public was not prepared enough for any form of anarchy. Regardless, it was important to Transcendentalists that the government did not force any particular religion on its people, much like the Puritans did before them. This belief is where Deists and Transcendentalists agreed. However, they disagreed with the Deists on when the government should be governing. Thoreau also wrote that the “[g]overnment is at best” practical, but also believed that “all governments are sometimes” impractical (269). Transcendentalists believed that the government is only practical if it is entirely beneficial for those who are being governed, and it cannot be this by forcing the public into a certain belief. That is yet another reason why many of these Transcendentalists were so supportive of secular governments. Being the most recent ideology, it was also the most progressive in the sense that they encouraged rebellion and freedom of

Show More
Related

What Is George Gillespie's Influence On Society

247 Words | 1 Pages

Hunter Estes Unit 2, Lesson 2 Gillespie’s Influence, a Legacy of Discrimination and Bigotry George Gillespie played a key role in the formation of the American Union’s fledgling government. Through his works, he convinced our Founding Fathers that civil government should be kept separate from the government of the church. By forcing this, he opened the door to arguments that shut religion out of politics and suppress the wishes of a large portion of our society. Today, we hold the “separation of church and state” to be one of the most important parts of our constitution, but we must confront the uncomfortable fact that, for much of American history, the phrase "separation of church and state" have often been expressions of exclusion, intolerance,

Read More

Puritans: Piety, Courage, And Industry

375 Words | 2 Pages

They valued piety, courage, and industry. If they lacked piety, the Puritans would have also lacked the faith and trust required for them to believe they could be successful in this New World. Without courage, they might have been too scared to leave England in search of a new land where they wouldn 't have to face persecution for their beliefs. If they had not valued industry, they might not have worked hard enough to survive in the conditions they had to endure on their long journey. Bradford showed appreciation for these values, along with their generosity and fairness towards one another and the Native Americans, as he wrote about the Pilgrims.

Read More

Analysis Of Henry David Thoreau's Resistance To Civil Government

2124 Words | 9 Pages

Mr. Thoreau argues that people should not allow any government to control or atrophy their thoughts or beliefs. Mr. Thoreau was an also remained a devoted abolitionist and has written

Read More

David Barton's Relationship With Religion

168 Words | 1 Pages

For the most part, I agreed with what historian David Barton had to say about the role of American government in terms of its relationship with religion and the family. I believed as well that the government should be limited and have little control over the church. It must rarely interfere with religious activities except in cases with legitimate cause, the immoral ones that involved the disruption of peace and the endangerment of others. The federal government should not be the authority on what the church could or could not do and should allow people to freely express their faith. With that being said, I also think that there must not be a strict separation between the church and the state.

Read More

Anne Bradstreet's 'Upon The Burning Of Our House'

1419 Words | 6 Pages

The lives of the Puritans were greatly influenced by their belief in God. In their eyes, God had incomparable power that He used to help them live. The Puritans strongly thought that the Lord had the power to both provide for them and take from them. In the eyes of the Puritans, God accommodated them in times of struggle and contributed to their wellbeing through materialistic possessions.

Read More

Summary Of John Calvin's Prefatory Addres

1418 Words | 6 Pages

John Calvin is sometimes referred to as one of the greatest Reformation theologians. Calvin studied law before he studied theology. Calvin argues for two types of government in his compendium of theology, "The Institutes of the Christian Religion,” one, government that rules the spiritual, or inward aspect of humanity, the spiritual government, and two, government that rules the external aspects of human life, the secular government. “Man is the subject of two kinds of government, and having sufficiently discussed that which is situated in the soul, or the inner man, and relates to eternal life, we are, in this chapter, to say something of the other kind, which relates to civil justice, and the regulation of the external conduct. “ In Calvin’s mind, no human law could stand on it’s own without God, who has created the world and government in the beginning.

Read More

Alexander Hamilton Religious Beliefs Essay

1670 Words | 7 Pages

In this research I identify the religious views of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington and link their beliefs to the cause of American Independence. Then, I explain the religious causes that made the American Revolution necessary and provide the reasons why the Declaration of Independence was religiously justifiable. Though unclear, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison held Deist beliefs. Alexander Hamilton’s religion after youth was unknown. The founding fathers who held on to Deist beliefs highly valued religious pluralism, but since the British government was opposed to it, the founding fathers sought independence

Read More

Second Great Awakening And Transcendentalism

1043 Words | 5 Pages

Alejandro Garcia Dr. Haas History 102 21 April 2016 The New America The Constitution of America clearly states in the first amendment that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise”. As a result from this, throughout the 1790s until the 1830s many religious rose up and became known by the power of this amendment. This rise of different religious that really shook America and change the country forever is known as the Second Great Awakening. At the beginning of the American revolution the largest well known religious in America known at that time were the Congregationalist, who are related to the earlier people who came to America know as the Puritans, Anglicans as well those known

Read More

American Puritan Beliefs

249 Words | 1 Pages

American Puritanism was a religious movement that surfaced within the Church of England during the 17th century. A group of people known as the Puritans had a longstanding conflict with the Church, dating back to the mid 1500s. The Puritans strove to “purify” the Anglican Church of Roman Catholic principles and over time grew weary of the lack of change, their dissatisfaction driving them to North America with hopes of a new beginning. With new land underfoot and an entire sea between the Puritans and their old life, they were free to practice religion as they had desired for so long. This is how American Puritanism began.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of Religion Has No Place In Government

101 Words | 1 Pages

In his essay Religion Has No Place in Government (2008), Ronald A. Lindsay explains that public opinion has no place in government. He conveys his argument first, by stating his position and informing the reader the wrongdoings of government with personal beliefs; later, he uses rhetorical questions to formulate his argument and capture the audience 's attention. The author’s purpose for writing this essay was to inform readers that government policy should not be associated with personal opinions. Although the author takes a side on this argument, he is able to obtain a large audience due to the use of his language.

Read More

Thomas Jefferson Research Paper

834 Words | 4 Pages

Thomas Jefferson’s works and ideas laid the foundation for several key aspects on the limits of the United States government, the idea of separation of church and state, and the importance of personal rights. Jefferson wrote many influential pieces of literature which pushed the concept of having limited government power. Jefferson wanted America not to be like the European monarchies that fell due to religious strife, so he emphasized a secular government. Jefferson, following closely with the ideas of John Locke, stressed the importance of the protection of individual rights against the government. Thomas Jefferson believed that a government should have limitations.

Read More

Failure Of Secularism In Canada

1003 Words | 5 Pages

Another sector of Canadian society which is influenced by religious prejudice and which shows the failure of secularism in Canada are public institutions. In Canada, public schools have pushed toward becoming secular. However, there are still examples of the lack of secularism as well as religious preference. For example, in Quebec, objections to the kirpan’s allowance in schools in an example of secularism not aligning with the rules of public institutions. The kirpan, which is a religious symbol of Sikhs, was banned from public schools in Quebec, as it was seen as a potential weapon.

Read More

Thoreau And Transcendentalism

918 Words | 4 Pages

Society also often does not seek the truth, but rather seeks what it wants to hear. Thoreau often writes on the need to reject overbearing governments and corporations. In Civil Disobedience, Thoreau states, “That government is best which governs least.” (Thoreau 843). Thoreau displays his view of government as a weak guider of society rather than as a ruler of society.

Read More

Secularism In The Renaissance

1333 Words | 6 Pages

One view of secularism is a philosophical look that dates back perhaps to medieval church where someone who is secular is not aligned with the church. In the philosophical sense, it means a godless viewpoint of the world. In this context, something may be considered secular if it has no religious value or morals, such as a book that has no religious affiliation or meaning. The Renaissance is a great example to use, as it was a time period in history where artists, writers, poets and the like could make expressions without having to abide by the Catholic Church’s orders to produce religious orientation works. Someone who identifies themself to be secular, may look at life missing of supernatural or godly abilities and anomalies.

Read More

Religion Has No Place In Government

764 Words | 4 Pages

Religion has no place in Government Thesis Statement: Religion has no place in the Government because we do not live in a theocracy without requiring to have a Religious Experience, and Religious virtue. That religion has no place in government is both a positive and normative statement, by which I mean it can be read both ways: as either a statement of fact, that there simply is no place for religion in government; or as a statement with moral intention, that there ought to be no place for religion in government. These two readings are related but not the same. They are related both because whether something is so is no argument for its being so, and because, things that are nonetheless often carry moral inertia, and justify themselves by their being.

Read More

More about Transcendentalist Views On Secular Government

Related Topics

Open Document