The faith of Our Fathers
- Describe the features of Deism that most appealed to Thomas Paine.
Thomas Paine believed that God did exist and that He made the universe. He also believed that humans were given the ability to reason. This, therefore, formed the basis of his dispute against the occurrence of miracles and divine revelation. Like other deists, he was of the view that natural reason was enough to show God’s characteristics, and supernatural events were just but a myth (Lambert, 2010).
- When did Deism emerge? With what other European Movement is Deism associated? Identify and provide the contributions made to Deism by the following; Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and John Locke?
Deism emerged in the 18th century during the Enlightenment period. This was also the time marked by rising Scientific Revolutions where people began to look at science for an explanation of natural forces and occurrences. Deists believed in a God who created natural forces but had no relationship with their functioning (Hudson, 2015).
Some of the other movements that were as a result of Deism were Freethought, anti-clericalism, and religious critique. All these movements were rooted in the notion that truth should only be gotten on the foundation of logic and reason and not through the influence of other societal and religious beliefs.
Voltaire’s deism stated that oral behavior should not be dictated by religion but should be from a person’s point of knowledge. He discusses some of the practices done by the church and concludes their relevance as unreasonable (Lambert, 2010). He, however, points out that nature is only as it is because of an Almighty God who does not intervene in the ways of nature. Rousseau, on the other hand, believes that the universe is divinely ordered, just like Voltaire but goes on to state that social fulfillment would only come from the knowledge of true humanity that religion aims to instill in people. Diderot talks about the human attribute of inborn instincts and therefore emphasizes the idea that religion should only act to reinforce these instincts and not necessarily dictate what ways of human beings in dogma. Francis Bacon viewed the Bible and Science as two very distinct things that shouldn’t be used to explain one another. He explains that since the Biblical language is written metaphorically then it should not be used to judge the validity of scientific information. Miracles in the religious world cannot be scientifically explained and therefore should be taken by faith. Isaac Newton also believed in the presence of a monotheistic God that created the forces in the physical world, but did not control and therefore disregarding the idea of supernatural doings. John Locke’s works on The Reasonableness of Christianity led to the formation of empirical grounds for deism though he was not a deist. He believed in the Christian revelations and the beliefs outlined in the Bible but criticized others as irrational and reasonable.
- Contributions made to deism by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, Anthony Collins, and Thomas Paine.
Holy Roman Emperor Joseph also questioned the authority of the monastery, that promoted the deism believes in his reign. He consequently shut down many churches, reduces the number of the clergy, and banned some of the Catholic rituals such as incarnations. Anthony Collins was also another English deist that questioned the practices of religion and therefore turn to free-thinking as a way of form of freedom from the disobliging beliefs. Lastly, Thomas Paine works, particularly, The Age of Reason was aimed at discussing the reasonability of some of the church’s beliefs that therefore set the stage for other works on deism (Hudson, 2015).
- Thomas Paine influence on James Monroe
In 1973 when Thomas Paine was arrested and taken to Prison in France, the incoming American President, James Monroe necessitated his release. This is likely to be after being religiously influenced by his works because his book The Age of Reason that promoted deism was published and released about that time that he was released (Israel, 2008).
- Thomas Paine’s Assertion in his book The Age of Reason
Thomas Paine’s book was largely skeptical of the Christian doctrines which therefore made him ostracized by almost everybody. Only six people attended his funeral. The book advocated for deism and encouraged free thought from the regulations and restrictions of Christianity. The American culture, which was then majorly Christian thereby found this unacceptable, costing him his initial popularity.
- Deism logically inclines its adherents in typical socio-religious and political directions.
Deism advocates for logical thinking without the involvement of other religious believes. It, therefore, gives its adherents a more logical form of thinking into social and political matters, that is, open-mindedness in what is right and what is wrong (Lambert, 2010).
- Identify and provide the significance of Edward Herbert in comprehending Deism.
Herbert’s works were the first on English Deism which formed the grounds for other deists such as Charles Blount. His questions on the relevance of religion and other innate truths were also used as references for other deist works. He is regarded as the father of deism in England after propagating the notion that human beings did not require revelations when the natural reason was sufficient to understand salvation.
- Difference between deism and traditional/orthodox Christianism
Deists believed in a Supreme God but unlike the traditional and orthodox Christians, they believed that God did not contravene these laws after setting them into motion and therefore disputed the idea of supernatural occurrences. Deists believed in the Supreme nature of God but shifts away from the Church and the religious aspect of it. Unlike in the past where the church had the overall over the land the formation of movements such as deism and anti-clericalism that came with the rising of movements such as deism challenged the notions of the Catholic and the Orthodox Church then.
- Contributions made to Deism by Elihu Palmer and Ethan Allen
Elihu Palmer founded the New York Theistical Society that was a deistic society that addresses issues on deism and increased its knowledge among people. Ethan Allen published a book, Reason the Only Oracle of Man, which served to explain his deist philosophies that form a basis of other deist works.
- Political views and objectives emerging from Deism
Deism disputed over the political power that the church had. It deemed the authority of the church as illogical and therefore fought against the strong mandate that the church had then. The movement, therefore, promoted the attribute of people being free to choose their leaders and dictate how they wanted to be governed even this was unacceptable in the church.
References
Hudson, W. (2015). Enlightenment and modernity: The english deists and reform. Routledge.
Israel, J. (2008). Philosophy, deism, and the early jewish enlightenment (1655–1740). In The Dutch Intersection (pp. 173-201). Brill.
Lambert, F. (2010). The founding fathers and the place of religion in America. Princeton University Press.