John Milton is one of the greatest literary figures in the world, and his ideas and influences have been studied by so many scholars since the seventeenth century. Yet his theological position has not been critically analyzed. Milton is generally regarded as a Puritan who loves both Christian and humanistic literature and tries to establish a commonwealth nation in his time. This interpretation is not necessarily wrong; it has its own value in understanding Milton's life and thought. Although Milton can be treated as a rationalist Puritan, his theology is not at all evangelically-oriented. Milton does not believe the doctrine of Trinity; he supports polygamy; he does not embrace the institutional church; his views on worship and sacrament are quite different from mainstream denominational churches. Thus, my first aim in this research is to prove that Milton's theology deviates from standard Puritan doctrines which are mostly based on the reformed theology of John Calvin and his followers.
Milton sees his country, England, as the most spiritually cultivated nation, ready to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ. He welcomes the Puritan revolution led by General Oliver Cromwell, who overthrows British Kingship. For him this event is God's favor upon England to prepare for the one thousand years of Christ' reign. Though England is a small nation, she can share all good things with Europe, and finally with the entire world. English, not Latin, will be the universal language that every nation may learn as an international medium. British spiritual ideals associated with commonwealth politic, freedom of divorce, and other ethical and moral culture will be a guiding principle to the world. In this way Milton does his best in creating the ideological idea that "particularism" can be "universalism." A Particular nation, namely, England, may play the role in giving the essential spiritual and moral rule, that is concretely universal. In the similar logic, English, a particular language, may be the universal tongue to be communicated with all people of the world. Therefore, my thesis argument in this work is: "Milton's particularism and universalism are the two sides of the same coin."
This research consists of eight chapters. Chapter one deals with the purpose of the research, areas of investigation, and the methodology used. Chapter two outlines Milton's times and his biographical information so that we can capture more clearly Milton's theological and ideological developments.
Chapter three analyzes Milton's understanding on Church. A particular attention is given to Milton's "pure church" portrayed in the New Testament. Milton emphasizes that a most ideal and healthy church is a lay-centered house church. Yet I have argued that this church has other problematic theological dimensions regarding proper worship and sacrament including effective cooperation with other institutional churches.
Chapter four and five are a deeper explanation of Milton's political view in relation to God's history and the English government. In many cases, Milton's writings have been studied simply a biblical interpretation or very creative literary products by scholars majoring in literature and theology. I have read Milton's Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes a little differently from these former perspectives. As I have read these works over and over again, I have discovered Milton's political ambition to restore the commonwealth nation which disappeared in 1660 by the reestablishment of the British kingship. Milton cries frequently for reform by overcoming many shortcomings of the English people.
Chapter six is my theological analysis on Miltons' Areopagitica. Here I have seen Milton's untiring vision of his particularism and universalism in a way of freedom of publication. Chapter seven has uncovered Milton's astonishing view on divorce. Milton delves into the human mind between married men and women in such a way that even contemporary humanists can agree. However, I am not convinced that Milton's stance on divorce is biblical.
Chapter eight is my final statement in engaging this research. In this chapter, I have questioned again whether Milton is a Puritan or not. If he is a Puritan, in what sense? I have concluded that Milton is not a doctrinally Puritan, but a kind of "rational" Puritan.