1. Turning your fate into a science
Rationalism
Turning your fate into a science

2. Changing Ideas about Fate
Puritans believed that their fate was predetermined and there was nothing they could do about it.
As time moved on people wanted to acknowledge that their actions in life played a role in their fate.

3. What is Rationalism?
Rationalism is a philosophy, which means it is a way of thinking and an approach to life.
Rationalists believe that there is a plain, methodical, factual way to arrive at a conclusion.
They deal with issues of truth and validity.
There is only one Truth in life.
All human beings are equal and can strive to be perfect. Everyone can improve themselves.
They do not deny that God is powerful but they do not believe he is ALL powerful. Humans have control over their lives.
A person’s goal in life was to improve himself and make the world a better place.

4. What was going on in society?
The Rationalists attempting to establish that God exists based on rationality and reasoning instead of the Puritan beliefs that just believed he existed because someone told them He does.
Education is becoming valued, big buildings, cities and libraries also being built.
Centers of knowledge are starting to become physical places. They are no longer just churches.
Things that had been explained or credited to God and the Devil were beginning to be explained through Science.
Gravity
Physics
Illness

5. The result of Rationalism - Deism
Out of the idea of Rationalism came the movement of Deism which is an attempt to connect science and religion, make them agree with each other.
Deism – Accepts the authority of human reason rejects miracles, the trinity, and the authority of the Bible.

6. What do Deists believe?
Accept the teachings of Christ but they don’t think he is Devine.
They did not believe that Jesus was God’s son because his conception would have been a miracle and they don’t believe in miracles.
They believe that a private relationship is MORE important than attendance at Public Services.
This way of thinking was confined to a small number of highly educated articulate individuals.
NOT everyone thought this way BUT some of their beliefs did reach the masses.

7. Benjamin Franklin His parents were Puritans
He kept all of his Puritan Faith BUT he adopted Deist values.
He had a personal relationship with God.
He believed that life should be dedicated to the pursuit of happiness which is achieved by getting along with others.
His thirteen virtues are based on Puritan teachings.

8. How does Puritanism and Rationalism affect us today?
What are our values?
Where do these values come from?
What role do we play in our fate?
What role do these things play in the Declaration of Independence, and our approach to government?