The relationship between Enlightenment thinking and the thinking of Jonathan Edwards' followers is complex and multifaceted. Here are the key aspects that describe this relationship:
1. **Contrasting Views on Reason and Faith**:
- **Enlightenment Thinking**: Emphasized reason, science, and empirical evidence as the primary sources of knowledge and truth. Enlightenment thinkers often advocated for skepticism of religious dogma and promoted ideas such as secularism and humanism.
- **Edwards’ Followers**: Jonathan Edwards was a leading figure in the First Great Awakening, a movement emphasizing religious revival and emotional experience. His followers maintained a strong emphasis on faith, divine sovereignty, and the necessity of personal religious experience. They often viewed reason and intellect as secondary to faith and divine revelation.
2. **Shared Intellectualism**:
- Despite their differences, some of Edwards' followers appreciated and engaged with aspects of Enlightenment thought, particularly when it came to intellectual rigor and the systematic exploration of theology. Edwards himself was intellectually sophisticated and incorporated reasoned arguments into his theological work, though always within the framework of his Calvinist beliefs.
3. **Moral Philosophy and Ethics**:
- **Enlightenment Thinkers**: Often focused on developing moral philosophy based on reason, natural law, and human well-being, independent of religious doctrines.
- **Edwards and His Followers**: While they engaged with moral philosophy, their ethical framework was deeply rooted in Christian theology. They believed that true morality could not be separated from a relationship with God and adherence to biblical principles.
4. **Impact on Society**:
- Enlightenment ideas contributed to the development of modern democratic, scientific, and secular societies.
- The Great Awakening, influenced by Edwards' preaching, also profoundly impacted society by promoting religious fervor, the importance of personal piety, and social reforms rooted in religious beliefs.
In conclusion, while Enlightenment thinking and the thinking of Edwards' followers had distinct foundational principles and worldviews—particularly regarding reason and faith—they intersected in the intellectual rigor and their substantial impact on society. Edwards and his followers engaged with Enlightenment ideas to some extent, but always through the lens of their theological commitments.
which best describes the relationship between enlightenment thinking and the thinking of edwards followers
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