文章基本信息

标题：The Great Awakening as a Background of the American Revolution
本地全文：下载
作者：Makoto SAITO
期刊名称：Nippon Gakushiin kiyo
印刷版ISSN：0388-0036
出版年度：1996
卷号：51
期号：2
页码：131-149
DOI：10.2183/tja1948.51.131
出版社：The Japan Academy
摘要：It is now widely accepted without argument that the American Revolution brought forth the dissolution of the established church system and the establishment of religious freedom as tangible results. The role of religion as a theoretical background of the Revolution, however, has not reached any agreement among the scholars. Alan Heimert evaluated the significance of Calvinism as a direct contribution to the Revolution. Bernard Baylin and Gordon S. Wood, on the other hand, put much emphasis upon the influence of Republicanism. Admitting the fact that religion did not directly cause the Revolution, I would like to point out the significance of the Great Awakening which covered the English America with spiritual excitement in 1730's and 40's. The role of religion should be evaluated as a spiritual preparation of the Revolution among the populace.In the beginning of the 18th century, church activities dwindled into a stale condition under the intellectual but un-converted pastors, who had been theologically influenced more or less by Arminianism. There was a schism among the congregation in terms of social strata. On the other hand, in 1730's, Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield among others, in spite of their very different type of character, initiated the revivals, which enhanced believers' direct access to the Divine, voluntary religious meetings and the active participation by the laymen in religious activities. These phenomena caused the transformation of religion in American society, which inevitably entailed the change of society itself. The activities of itinerants in the Great Awakening have also contributed to create new American identity, which surpassed the regional boundary among colonies.Thomas Paine's Common Sense, whose tremendous impact as a trigger of the American Revolution has been pointed out, draws our attention in this context. It is certainly interesting to note that Paine, a deist, quoting widely from the Bible, made it easy and convincing for the populace to accept the appeal of independence and antimonarchical sentiment. The role of the intellectual elites with their ideals of Enlightment, Rationalism and Republicanism was vital to promote the American Revolution. Yet, the American Revolution was widely supported and accomplished by the populace with their simple-minded religious and biblical populism as well.