“Innocent Vipers” and the “Potential Saints”: Early Shapes of American View of Children
Online published: 2024-01-17
美国儿童观的早期形态是美国早期教育思想和实践的重要观念基础,研究美国早期的儿童观对美国早期教育研究意义重大。已有研究对美国儿童观早期形态的关注较少,且持有标签化的、简单而片面的认识——原罪学说,进而导致了儿童有罪的观念,并由此认为儿童受到了无情的、冷漠的和粗暴的对待。本文通过分析殖民地时期的日记、诗歌、布道文和教理问答等史料中有关美国早期儿童观的内容,重新审视该时期的儿童观,发现殖民地时期儿童观的形成主要归结于新教因素:殖民者不仅根据原罪说推论儿童无辜可爱形象背后的罪恶本性,还认识到儿童成为有形圣徒的可能性,即认为儿童是“无辜毒蛇”与“潜在圣徒”的综合。美国儿童观的早期形态不只有悲观的一面,也有乐观的一面,相应地,教育儿童的方法也不只是冷漠和粗暴的,而且还有通过正面和负面相结合的干预方式。这种看似相互矛盾的儿童观,其根源在于殖民者将强烈的清教使命感加诸儿童,并试图使用一切可能的手段使之成圣。
蒋玉阳 , 张斌贤 . “无辜毒蛇”与“潜在圣徒”:美国儿童观的早期形态[J]. 华东师范大学学报(教育科学版), 2024 , 42(2) : 109 -118 . DOI: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2024.02.008
The early shapes of American children’s views are important conceptual foundation of American early education thought and practice, and the study of early American children’s view is of great significance to the study of American early education. There have been few studies on the early shapes of American children’s views, and they hold a labeled, simple and one-sided understanding like the theory of original sin leads to the concept of children’s guilt, and thus believes that children are treated ruthlessly, indifferently and roughly. By analyzing the contents of diaries, poems, sermons, catechisms and other historical materials in the colonial period, and re-examining the views on children in the United States in this period, it is found that the views on children in the colonial period are mainly attributed to Protestant factors. The colonists not only deduced the sinful nature behind the innocent and lovely image of children based on the theory of original sin, but also recognized the possibility of children becoming visible saints, that is, they believed that children were the synthesis of “innocent vipers” and “potential saints”. The early shapes of American children’s views are not only pessimistic but also optimistic. Correspondingly, the method of educating children is not only indifferent and rude, but also trains children through a combination of positive and negative interventions. This seemingly contradictory view of children stems from the fact that the colonists imposed a strong sense of Puritan mission on children and tried to use all possible means to sanctify them.
Key words: views of children; early American history; Protestantism; Puritanism
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