Transcendentalism

During the 1830s, a philosophical movement emerged in New England called Transcendentalism. Transcendentalist thinking influenced ideas on religion, motivated social reform, and inspired great works of literature. Followers of Transcendentalism challenged many of the most common expressions of American culture of the time.

God and humans

Transcendental ideas were controversial because they challenged almost universally accepted Christian beliefs. Transcendentalists rejected the idea that religious institutions are necessary to help humans achieve a spiritual experience. They believed instead that God was a part of everything, including the soul of each person. As such, they believed that each person could have an intuitive spiritual experience that was divine.

Their ideas challenged deeply held American beliefs about divinity, faith, and organized religion. If people could experience God's presence in nature, then what was the point of going to church? If each person is divine, then how was Jesus different? And if God was a part of everything, then life as a whole—not just the unusual events that Christians consider to be proof of God—is a miracle. The ideas were startling.

Intuition, truth, and goodness

The Transcendental belief that spiritual truth is contained in nature, in fact in every part of man's world, inspired people to think in new ways. The idea that humans can achieve an intuitive understanding of the world around them gained wider acceptance. Artistic expression, closely connected with intuition, came to be valued as a way to reveal the truths of life. Transcendentalism produced some of the greatest works of American literature. Among the most well-known Transcendental writers are Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), and Margaret Fuller (1810–1850). Emerson's essay Nature (1836) and his lecture “The Transcendentalist” (1842) were key statements of Transcendental belief.

Transcendentalists sought to express the divine in themselves and to find it in their surroundings. High moral order was the goal for both the individual and the community. Believing that people were basically good, they worked to help communities improve. They spoke up on social issues such as slavery , women's rights, and education. A few Transcendentalists even started their own communities, the most famous being Brook Farm, in Massachusetts , to provide ideal conditions for spiritual growth and experience.

An American perspective

Transcendentalism was never a formal, unified movement. With its emphasis on the individual and personal experience, many Transcendentalists held a variety of viewpoints on social, religious, and philosophical issues. The emphasis on individual spirituality, however, inspired many to improve themselves and society. Seeking changes in the social order as defined by the majority in America, they voiced a uniquely American perspective.