Between faith and unbelief : American transcendentalists and the challenge of atheism / by Elisabeth Hurth.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hurth, Elisabeth, 1961-

Series:

Studies in the history of Christian traditions ; v. 136.

Studies in the history of Christian traditions, 1573-5664 ; v. 136

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Transcendentalism (New England)--History.

Transcendentalism (New England).

Atheism--Germany--History.

Atheism.

Atheism--Philosophy.

Transcendentalism--History.

Transcendentalism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (232 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

American transcendentalists and the challenge of atheism

Place of Publication:

Leiden : Brill, 2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book sets out to shed light on what is specific to American Transcendentalism by comparing it with the atheistic vision of German philosophers and theologians like Ludwig Feuerbach and Arthur Schopenhauer. The study argues that atheism was part of the discursive and religious context from which Transcendentalism emerged. Tendencies toward atheism were already inherent in Transcendentalist thought. The atheist scenario came to the surface in the controversy about Emerson’s “new views.” Contemporary critics charged that the deity Emerson worshipped was himself. Emersonian Transcendentalism thus anticipated some of the central concerns in the works of German atheists like Feuerbach. From idealism to atheism seemed but a short step.

Contents:

Preliminary Materials / E. Hurth

Introduction / E. Hurth

Chapter One. \'The Spirit Of Infidelity\': Ralph Waldo Emerson And Harvard’s Early Göttingen Students / E. Hurth

Chapter Two. The \'Credentials\' Of Faith: The Miracles Controversy In New England / E. Hurth

Chapter Three. The Arch-Fiend Of Christian Faith: David Friedrich Strauss And New England Divinity / E. Hurth

Chapter Four. The Claims Of History: Strauss’s \'Mytho-Mania\' And After / E. Hurth

Chapter Five. Man As God-Maker: Feuerbachian Atheism In New England / E. Hurth

Chapter Six. From Idealism To Atheism: Theodore Parker And The Projection Theory Of Religion / E. Hurth

Chapter Seven. The \'Cures For Atheism\': Emerson And Jakob Böhme / E. Hurth

Chapter Eight. \'A World Without God\': Emerson And Arthur Schopenhauer / E. Hurth

Conclusion / E. Hurth

Selected Bibliography / E. Hurth

Index / E. Hurth.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-281-93641-3

9786611936419

90-474-2126-4

OCLC:

646788919

Publisher Number:

10.1163/ej.9789004161665.i-224 DOI