Manuscript
The Christian Doctrine is divided into two books. The first book is then divided into 33 chapters and the second into 17.
The first part of the work appears to be "finished" because it is free of edits and the handwriting (Skinner's) is neat, whereas the second is filled with edits, corrections, and notes in the margins.[11] The Skinner's incomplete fair copy has stirred controversy over the work, because it does not provide critics with the ability to determine what the fair copy was based on.[12]
The manuscript itself is patterned off the theological treatises common to Milton's time, such as William Ames's Medulla Theologica and John Wolleb's Compendium Theologiae Christianae[13] Although Milton refers to "forty-two works", of them many were "systematic theologies", in his various works, Christian Doctrine does not allude to them in the same way as he does in his political treatises.[14] However, the actual pattern of discourse found within the treatise is modeled after Ames's and Wolleb's works even if the content is different.[15]
Where Milton differs is in the use of scripture as evidence; Milton relies on scripture as the basis of his argument and keeps scripture in the center of his text; whereas, many other theological treatises keep scriptural passages to the margins.[16] In essence, as Lieb says, "Milton privileges the proof-text over that which is to be proven."[17] Schwartz has gone so far as to claim that Milton "ransacked the whole Bible" and that Milton's own words are "squeezed out of his text."[18] However, the actual "proof-texts" of the Bible used are various, and there is not one version used in Milton's Latin citations.[19]
[edit] Theology
Milton's approach to theology is to deal directly with the Bible and use "the word of God" as his basis.[20] Even though Milton relied on the pattern of "theological systems" of his day, he believed that there could be "progress" achieved in understanding theology by relying on the Bible completely.[21] Milton "filled" his theology with direct quotes from the Bible in order to separate his work from his contemporaries who did not deal with the Bible enough for his taste.[21] Some critics have argued, persuasively, that Milton's theology is Arian.[22]
[edit] Christian Doctrine
The first chapter of Christian Doctrine discusses the actual meaning of "Christian Doctrine." Milton claims that this "Christian Doctrine" needs to be understood before one can begin to talk about divinity and that the doctrine comes from Christ's communication to mankind about divinity.[23] The doctrine requires humans to "come to terms with God's nature" and it comes from "the ever-abiding desire to celebrate [God's] glory because of his redemptive plan."[24]
Milton's approach to Christian doctrine is not philosophical, and Milton does not attempt at "knowing" God.[24] Instead, we have to find God "in the Holy Scriptures alone and with the Holy Spirit as guide."[25] Milton grounds his message in Christian teaching when he says:
- "I do not teach anything new in this work. I am only to assist the reader's memory by collecting together as it were, into a single book texts which are scattered here and there throughout the Bible, and by systematizing them under definite headings in order to make reference easy"[25]
As such, Milton promotes the idea that his whole work comes only from the teachings of Christ, and that Christian doctrine can only come from Christ.[26]
[edit] Milton's God
Milton's version of God is characterized by the darker aspects of deus absconditus.[27] Milton's God is an "over-whelming force" that, in some of Milton's works, appears "as the embodiment of dread."[27] Along with this, God is not definable, but some of his aspects are knowable: he is one, omnipresent, and eternal.[28]
Milton's interpretation of God has been described as Arian. Kelley explains the actual usage of this term as he says, "Milton may be quite correctly called an Arian if he holds an anti-Trinitarian view of God; and it is in this sense that scholars have been calling Milton an Arian since the publication of the De Doctrina in 1825."[29] In particular, Christian Doctrine denies the eternity of the Son, Jesus's pre-birth title.[30] Such a denial separates the unity between God and the Son.[31] However, some claim that the Son is eternal, since he was begotten before time, and that he represents part of the Logos.[30] But this cannot be, as Kelley points out, "Milton concludes, the Son was begotten not from eternity but 'within the limits of time.'"[32] Although some have argued that the Son is equal in some respects with God, the Son lacks the complete attributes of God.[33]
Another aspect of Milton's God is that he is material. This is not to say that he has a human form, as Milton states, "God in his most simple nature is a SPIRIT."[34] However, such "spirits" to Milton, as with many of his contemporaries like Thomas Hobbes, are a type of material.[35] God, from his material essence, is able to establish all other matter and then manipulate that matter to create forms and beings.[36]
Suggestions;
- The best title: De Doctrina Christiana (Milton), since this is the title of the ms.
- "currently two translations of the work; Charles R. Sumner's and John Carey's." Put each title, place and date in separate footnotes.
- "The only edition of Christian Doctrine" The only manuscript. "Edition" in this context would signify a printed edition.
- "London's Old State Paper Office" Unidentifiable under this name.
- "Secretary of Foreign Tongues" to the Council of State
- "theological "tracate"" Possibly so in original. "Tractate" intended.
- "in 1677 he was pressured by the British government" In 1677 there was only an English government and a Scottish one.
- "there is a minority line of criticism that seeks" A minority line is unlikely to be doing the seeking.
- "he believed that there was a "progress" to relying on the Bible completely." We understand that Milton has used "progress" in some context concerning scriptural authority, but no inmformation is transferred.
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