艾摩俠的社科研究所

Presbyterians and the American Revolution 長老教會與美國革命

點擊左邊播放背景音樂(Captain America Theme Song)

前陣子聽曾慶豹老師於濟南長老教會的講座，在末尾Q&A黃春生牧師有在回應問題時提及蘇格蘭長老教會在美國獨立戰爭有相當大的參與，隨手一滑滑到這系列文章，而且相關中文資料並不多，於是試著翻譯這系列文章，如有發現翻譯錯誤或有失精準之處可以留言告知。下面紅字部分為網友更正。

Exhibit Overview

概覽

Before the Revolution: As “Dissenters” from the established Church of England, Presbyterians mistrusted British colonial power—and were not afraid to assert a right to religious freedom when it was threatened. Presbyterian influence in the colonies grew markedly in the middle decades of the 1700s, shaped by the Great Awakening and an influx of Scottish and Scots Irish immigrants, most of whom were Presbyterian. With words and actions—and sometimes with violence—these religious dissenters challenged colonial rule, and many felt moved to defy the status quo in the name of God.

革命之前：作為英格蘭既有教會(國家體制聖公會教會)的"反對者"(大寫的Dissenters英國歷史中是個專用名稱，是指脫離國家體制教會的“異議”基督徒團體，或可譯作“異離者 / 離異者”。)，長老會不信任英國的殖民勢力，並且在受威嚇時並不懼的維護自己的宗教自由權。西元第18世紀中葉，長老會對殖民地(指美國)的影響力大為增加，其中湧入殖民地的移民大部分是被第一次大覺醒運動形塑過的蘇格蘭和蘇格蘭的愛爾蘭移民，其中大部分是長老會。這些反對派的虔誠教徒用言語和行動，有時甚至使用暴力，來挑戰殖民統治，而且許多參與者覺得這是以上帝之名推翻現狀。

During the Revolution: Presbyterian response to the war was far from monolithic—there were Patriot, Loyalist, and neutral Presbyterians. But the majority of Church leaders supported the rebels. Twelve of fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were Presbyterian, including the only clergyman, John Witherspoon. George Duffield of Philadelphia’s Third Presbyterian Church (today’s Old Pine Church, next door to the Presbyterian Historical Society) served as chaplain to the Continental Congress, and patriot pastors supported the war effort from their pulpits in every state. Everyday Presbyterians felt the war’s impact in their communities and houses of worship. British troops occupied Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Savannah. From New England to the Carolinas Presbyterian churches were seized to quarter troops or damaged by forces loyal to the Crown who saw the revolution as primarily a “Presbyterian Rebellion.”

革命期間：長老教會對於革命戰爭的反應並不是全然一致的，其中有愛國者(對後來的美國而言的愛國)、忠誠者(對既有統治者而言的忠誠)和中立的三種長老教會。但大多數教會領袖支持革命(即所謂愛國者)。"獨立宣言"的五十六位簽署者中有十二位是長老會成員，其中包括唯一的正式牧會的牧師John Witherspoon。費城第三長老會的George Duffield（今天的Old Pine Church-老松教會，Presbyterian Historical Society-長老會歷史學會的隔壁），他在大陸會議擔任隨行神職人員(chaplian)，愛國者牧師們透過他們在各州的講台支持革命戰爭。長老教會每天都會感覺到這場戰爭對他們的社群和教堂的影響。英軍佔領的波士頓，紐約，費城，查爾斯頓和薩凡納。從新英格蘭到卡羅萊納州，長老教會的堂會被軍隊佔據作為軍舍用，或者被忠於皇室的軍隊所破壞，而這些軍隊把革命視為“長老教會的叛亂”。

After the Revolution: America’s victory in the war benefited the many Presbyterians who supported the Patriot cause. John Witherspoon remained in the nation he helped create, leading efforts to formalize the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution. Antislavery views gained proponents, and in 1787 the Presbyterian Church came close to calling for immediate abolition. African American Presbyterians began organizing their own congregations with First African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia the first in 1807. Women built on their public involvement in the Patriot cause, forming missionary societies and establishing schools. By the time of the Second Great Awakening in the 1830s, women were the majority of members in most Presbyterian congregations—although still barred from ordained ministry. Americans had guaranteed their religious freedom but this victory did not shield them from the social and political tensions that played out as the new country struggled over the meaning of freedom and equality for all.

革命之後：美國在戰爭中的勝利使許多支持愛國者事業的長老教會人士受益。約翰‧威瑟斯普恩留在他所幫助創造的國家，致力於領導"聯邦條例"和美國憲法的正式化。反對蓄奴派的意見獲得了支持者，並在1787年長老會要求要立即廢除。非裔美國長老教會開始在費城第一次組織自己的教會與第一非裔長老教會。西元1807年，婦女在公民參與愛國者事業的基礎上建立了不少宣教團體並建立學校。到西元1830年代的第二次大覺醒運動時，大多數長老教會會員中，女性成員佔據了絕大多數-雖然仍然被禁止任命牧職。美國保障了他們的宗教自由，但是這場勝利並沒有保護他們從新國家爭取自由和平等的意義所產生的社會和政治上的緊張關係上解脫。

原文出處
https://www.history.pcusa.org/history-online/exhibits/presbyterians-and-american-revolution-page-1

感謝黃飛立弟兄提供翻譯建議，希望農曆新年前完成之二
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Presbyterians and the American Revolution 長老教會與美國革命(中文翻譯)之二：Before: Asserting a Right to Religious Freedom 革命之前：宣告宗教自由權