Religious Roots

Before Emerson, Thoreau, or Kant began to give structure to early Transcendentalism, the movement had already been created from such early religions as Calvinism, Christianity, and Buddhism. The root of American Puritanism had split into two very contrasting branches of Transcendentalism and Protestantism; both of which taking similar beliefs from their common ancestor, Calvinism.

Unitarianism had developed during the 18th century as a stem from Christianity, which had detached itself from Orthodox Christianity during the First Great Awakening of the 1740's. This Awakening dealt with issues revolving around divine election and original sin. The Liberals began to stress the value of intellectual reason as the path to divine wisdom.

At the same time, Unitarians placed great worth on stability, harmony, rational thought, progressive morality, classical learning and other trademarks similar to Christianity. Unitarians offered a philosophy stressing the importance of voluntary ethical conduct and the ability of the intellect to discern what constituted that ethical conduct as a form of reason. This contrasted from that of the Calvinism belief intended to compel obedience. With the nurturing of this reasoning, Unitarians discovered the ordered and generous nature of the universe and of God's laws.

Unitarianism was a religion fro upright, respectable, wealthy Boston citizens', not for the rough packs on the streets. The liberalism of the religion, displayed in their acceptance of Enlightenment philosophy, was stabilized by a solid conservatism that they had displayed in social conduct and status.

It was at Harvard that young Transcendentalists received their education and it was here that the rebellion against Unitarianism began. The introduction to the exercise of the intellect and free conscience, and encouragement of the individual in his search for divine meaning, consequently paved the way for the Transcendentalist revolt. The Transcendentalist spirit yearned for a more intense spiritual experience, which it didn't receive from the sobriety, mildness and calm rationalism of Unitarianism.

For the Transcendentalists, finding God depended on one's inner striving toward spiritual communion with the divine spirit.