Comprehensive Study Notes: From Reformation Roots to Modern Critiques

John Foxe (1516–1587)

English church historian who documented the suffering and deaths of Protestant martyrs in "Acts and Monuments."

"Acts and Monuments"

Also known as "Foxe’s Book of Martyrs," this work documented the persecution of Protestant martyrs, especially under Mary I, aiming to solidify Protestant identity and critique the Roman Catholic Church.

William Tyndale (c. 1494–1536)

Sought to make Scriptures accessible in common English; produced new English translations despite being outlawed and was ultimately executed for heresy.

Democratization of Scripture

The movement towards making the Bible available and understandable to the common person, leading to increased literacy and individual interpretation.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement characterized by confidence in reason to liberate humanity from superstition and the assumption of objective truth accessible through logic and science.

Romanticism

An artistic and literary movement that celebrated emotion, imagination, subjective truth, and the idealization of nature, often rejecting Enlightenment rationalism.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797–1851)

Author of *Frankenstein*, whose work explores themes of unchecked ambition, playing God, and the consequences of scientific creation without empathy.

Human Nature in *Frankenstein*

*Frankenstein* suggests that unchecked scientific ambition and the abandonment of responsibility can lead to monstrous outcomes, implying humanity becomes destructive and isolated when driven solely by intellect without empathy.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Philosopher who claimed humans are inherently good but society corrupts them, emphasizing the self-moved individual.

Mr Collins

An obsequious clergyman and heir to Mr. Bennet’s estate via entail in *Pride and Prejudice*.

Mr Wickham

A manipulative militia officer, liar, gambler, and womanizer who elopes with Lydia in *Pride and Prejudice*.

American Second Great Awakening

A religious revival notable for Charles Finney's conversion theology, which promoted conscious consent to turn from sin and rejected Calvinist predestination.

Charles Finney

Promoted a "Conversion Theology" where salvation involved conscious consent to turn from sin and accept Jesus, rejecting traditional confession and Calvinist predestination.

Moral of *The Adventures of Tom Sawyer* for Christians

For a Christian, reading *Tom Sawyer* can be challenging due to Tom's frequent deception, manipulation, and self-serving actions, which prompt reflection on moral integrity versus pragmatic success.

Transcendentalism

Core belief that individual intuition is superior to institutional authority, and nature serves as a pathway to truth.

American Civil War Context

The war (1861–1865) tested ideals of freedom and brought slavery to the forefront, exposing contradictions in the American self-image.

Modernity

Characterized by faith in progress (science, technology) and individual rights (speech, conscience), alongside rising critiques that challenged grand narratives and traditional anchors.

George Orwell

Authored *Animal Farm*, an allegorical novel demonstrating the corruption of power and betrayal of founding ideals through techniques of control like re-definition of terms and fear-mongering.

Human Nature and Language in *Animal Farm*

*Animal Farm* presents human nature (allegorized by animals) as susceptible to corruption, greed, and lust for power, with language systematically used to manipulate, revise history, and justify domination.

Ernest Hemingway

Authored *The Old Man and the Sea*, depicting Santiago's endurance and dignity amid inevitable loss.

Santiago

The protagonist in *The Old Man and the Sea*, who makes a pact with God before battling the marlin, embodying endurance, dignity, and martyr-like suffering.

Arthur Miller

Authored *Death of a Salesman*, focusing on themes of identity, self-worth, and the crushing weight of consumerist success metrics.

Willy Loman

An aging salesman in *Death of a Salesman*, experiencing conflict with his sons and failing to achieve the American Dream, representing identity and self-worth challenges in consumerist society.

Michel Foucault

A critical theorist whose work centers on difference and power structures, viewing knowledge as an instrument of control.

Deconstruction

A critical approach that questions fixed meaning, asserting that texts contain internal contradictions that unravel claimed certainties.

Role of Language

An integrative theme highlighting how language, from Tyndale's translations to Orwell's propaganda and post-structural theory, continuously constructs and contests reality.

Christian Orthodoxy vs. Modern Liberal Theology

J. Gresham Machen argued that moral and doctrinal truths are non-negotiable; Christian Orthodoxy insists on the immutability of inherited doctrines, while Modern Liberal Theology sees doctrine as evolving or less central.

Authority vs. Individual Freedom

An ongoing tension observed across various historical periods and disciplines, from Church and State to language and economics.

Objective Truth vs. Subjective Experience

An ongoing tension, particularly evident in the contrast between Enlightenment rationalism and Romantic expression, and later in post-modern challenges.

Moral Responsibility vs. Personal Desire

An ongoing tension seen in figures like Finney (consent), Tom (manipulation), Wickham (libertinism), Napoleon (authoritarianism), and Willy (materialism).

Art as Expression of Worldview

Literary works profoundly explore and challenge prevailing worldviews, human nature, and societal structures, critiquing norms and exposing consequences of philosophical stances.