More notes on Religio Laici
From reading group:
Occasion for poem: suggestions that the bible is a patchwork, thereby question its reliability.
Dryden argue syou MUST have the bible for revelation – it’s authoritative (see below)
Against religious fanatics.
Argues reason’s power is limited in the pursuit of religious understanding.
Opens with image of stars – stars don’t guide us through teh night, but they tell us there’s a sky above us – in some way reason tells us there’s something more than empiricism.
13 – “From Cause to Cause…” – path here going from the present world (effect) to prior cause – a Prime Mover / “first principle”
Aristotle speaks of this (see also Kant) – this is a symptom of the way the brain works
Reason can tell us there must be a “Prime Mover” / original cause, but revelation what’s needed to really understand it. For Dryden this revelation can be found in the bible. (He is skeptical of personal claims to revelation.)
BUT, above all, he’s still a pragmatist.
Ultimatley, it’s all more to a political end than a theological one.
Bible: Key to revelation
After reading Father Simon’s piece, he feels like the bible’s been torn to shreds.
What should be done about the bible’s obscurity / ambiguity? Outlines Catholic way:
1. Church’s authority following history from Middle Ages (he doesn’t really embrace this ultimately – identifies them as being interpretive tyrants, referring to corruption of priests, etc.)
2. Protestant way – TOO many interpretations – interpretive anarchy (invocation of his fear of crowds – 162-3); his detestation of this is fueled by Civicl War and fanaticism of Protestants
3. Nonchalant commonsense-idness is final, best alternative – it’s not necessary to get all the little points (in bible, etc.); the truths we can know/see are enough.
Adopts “everyman” tone
322 – let’s not fight about it…
Deism: whatever there is to learn or know about divine truth, etc. can be found through reason (opposes doctrine of miracles). Dryden is opposed to this.
The laws (and lawfulness) of nature, science, etc. are evidence of God and avenues of religious understanding.
1690s – deism crystallized with John Tolland, Matthew Tindal and Shaftesbury; Charles Blount, important deist at the time, responded to the poem
Dryden probably heard deist talk in coffee houses; it was not solidfied into a theology until later
Isaac Newton – Principia (1697) – God-like figure in science and development of scientific research.
Disagrees with deism on two basic assumptions:
1. He rejects the view that basic religious truths are innate and articulable through reason.
2. he argues that following the fall, man’s reconciliation with God cannot be achieved by man himself. (The Deists, rejecting the idea of original sin, logically denied the need for atonement)
Yet, he agrees with the Deistic argument (168) that to condemn those who lived before or outside the Christian tradition seems unjust.
Dryden’s answer is to view the matter with tolerance and suggest that divine mercy, in some manner, may well extend to everyone.
Tone and Style
Abstract, elevated tone in parts of the poem (first 22 lines, etc.) distances reader/poet from subject.
Describes crucifixion like a banker (”fine,” “score,” “mulct,” etc. – 101-105)
Very binary in structure – combines binary, antithetical pairs (a popular technique at the time); this relentless balance structures the writing and gives it a stately tone.
It allows for moderation, which is what he seems to be arguing for; it doesn’t inspire passion, but rather is the rhetoric of the deadlock – static yet stately.
Conclusion
Political perspective on religion is especially evident from 400-end. Shows anti-Puritan rhetoric and general distaste for religious fanatics, etc. Reponse to Simon’s claims shows his anxiety about Catholic emphasis on tradition.
Ultimately, Dryden is more concerned with defending a middle-of-the-road position in religion than with making any original contributions of his own.
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