NEW ENGLAND THEOLOGY. The name given to a distinct school of Calvinistic theology, originating in New England, and characterized by modifications of the older theology in respect to the nature of God; the freedom, ability, and responsibility of man; the nature of moral ac tion; and the constitutive principle of virtue. The originator of the school was Jonathan Ed wards (q.v.). With Edwards and his immediate successors the general aim was to combat Armin ianism. In 1770 John Murray (q.v.) arrived in New England and began to preach Universalism, and thus introduced a new• element into theologi cal thought and controversy. (See UNIVERSAL ISM.) The early decades of the nineteenth cen tury were occupied with the Unitarian contro ve•sy and with discussion of the teachings of Dr. Taylor of New Haven, particularly concerning sin, depravity, and regeneration. The outcome was the adoption of the principles which have since been known as the New England theology, and which may be stated in the propositions that all sin is voluntary; that through the connection with Adam there is in man a sinful propensity which renders it certain that every Mall will sin from the beginning of moral action; that, though man has complete freedom of will, as a fact, he never turns to God without the previous regen erating operation of the Holy Spirit, which per suasively turns him to repentance and holiness; that holiness is disinterested love; that election is the choice; for reasons lying in the knowledge of God alone, of certain persons, without regard to their own merits, as the recipients of such gracious influence as shall certainly secure their repentance. During the past half century the
ological thought in. New• England, as elsewhere, has been profoundly influenced by German phi losophy and historical criticism and by the theory of evolution. As a consequence the New England theology as a distinct school has be come a thing of the past, and the unmodified doctrines of the older leaders are no longer taught in the Congregational seminaries. Among those prominent inent in developing and defending the teachings of the school, after Edwards (1703 58), may be mentioned: Joseph Bellamy (1719 90 ) Samuel Hopkins ( ; Jonathan Edwards. the Younger ( 1745-1801) ; Stephen West (1735-1819) : Samuel West (1730-1807) ; Nathaniel Emmons ( 17-t5-1801) ; Timothy Dwight (1752-1817) ; Nathaniel W. Taylor (1786-1858) ; Leonard Woods (1774-1854) ; Moses Stuart (1780-1852) ; Edwards A. Park (1808 1900) ; Henry 11. Smith (1815-76); Horace Bush nell (1802-76) ; Samuel Harris (1814-99). Con sult: Fisher. History of Christian Doctrine (New York, Walker, History of the Congrega tional Chnrches in the foiled ;Oates (New York, 1894) ; Boardman, Yew England Theology (New York, 1899). SOP also CONORED A TTON.U1SM : and the hiographical notices of the leaders.