Piety Versus Moralism: The Passing of the New England Theology from Edwards to Taylor

This book represents the history of the New England theology from 1750 to 1830 revealing a significant conflict of attitudes and ideals involved in the decline of orthodoxy and the rise of the modern spirit in religion. It follows the course of theological discussion from Jonathan Edwards to Nathaniel W. Taylor in whom liberalism triumphed. It shows how and why historical Christianity became unpalatable and unreasonable to the cultured in New England how a great spirit was lost with the passing of the Edwardean theology and how a new Christianity appeared in the place of the old. The author gives some clues to the source and nature of the weaknesses in present-day religious thought and makes a timely contribution to the launching of that reconstruction in Protestant theology which is admittedly very much needed. Joseph Haroutunians Piety Versus Moralism presents a signal interpretation of developments in American Protestant theology from Jonathan Edwards to his successors in the early national period. As intellectual history it stands as one of the most compelling analyses of a transition from Edwardss Augustinian piety to the rational moralism of his successors. As theological history it offers an acute dissection of the challenges to a truly evangelical witness in the American context. Mark Valeri Union Theological Seminary in Virginia This is the most influential book ever written on the New England Theology Americas first indigenous school of Christian thought. I continue to disagree with Haroutunians manner of speaking of the passing of this theology but all will be grateful to Wipf and Stock Publishers for this timely new edition of a truly classic piece of American scholarship. Douglas A. Sweeney Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Joseph Haroutunian (1904-1968) was an American Presbyterian theologian known for his sharp mind and lively spirit. Haroutunians Columbia University Ph.D. dissertation supervised by Herbert W. Schneider was published as Piety Versus Moralism. Haroutunian taught at Wellesley College McCormick Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago where he was Professor of Systematic Theology.