# Rationalism history



## arapahoepark (Mar 10, 2015)

Any resources on the introduction of rationalism into the church? I am thinking particularly concerning Arminianism and Unitarianism.


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## RamistThomist (Mar 10, 2015)

Rather late for an introduction, but I highly recommend George Marsden's essay on Old Princeton in _Faith and Rationality_


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## arapahoepark (Mar 13, 2015)

Any others? What of the English Presbyterians becoming Unitarian? Is it due to the fact rationalism can't handle the idea of a monotheistic being in three persons?


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## arapahoepark (Apr 4, 2015)

Bump?


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## py3ak (Apr 4, 2015)

This might be helpful on the first part of your question:

A History of Unitarianism by Earl Morse Wilbur


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## PhillipJLee (Apr 4, 2015)

arap said:


> Any others? What of the English Presbyterians becoming Unitarian? Is it due to the fact rationalism can't handle the idea of a monotheistic being in three persons?



I'm not entirely sure what the context of your question is but it almost sounds as if you're assuming that Presbyterians became Unitarians as a result of rationalism(?), which is a tough notion to swallow because rationalism wasn't pioneered until the introduction of Kant in the 17th-18th centuries and then refined by the structuralists in the 18th-early 19th centuries (e.g. Saussure, Strauss, et al). Also, in my opinion and understanding of both, assuming rationalism inevitably disproves the Doctrine of the Trinity is a bit of an over-statement, no? But to answer the question, here are some possible resources:

(a) Colonial Presbyterianism by Fortson
(b) Introduction to the History of Christianity by Dowley
(c) The Church by Clowney


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