美国普世主义文化的宗教根源和本土化过程探析

The Religious Root and Localization Process of Universalism in American Culture

美国普世主义的宗教根源来自基督教的一神信仰和普救论。在普世主义的美国本土化过程中,至关重要的两个理念是“上帝选民论”和“天定命运论”。“上帝选民论”使美国人以上帝选民自居;“天定命运论”给美国的扩张套上神谕的色彩。在可以预见的未来,处于“利他”和“利己”两难境地的美国普世主义价值观,将随其国内外社会政治经济的变化而处于不断调整变化中。

The religious root of universalism in American culture comes from Christian monotheism and Universalism. During the process of localizing universalism in the U.S., two ideas of crucial importance are the Chosen People and Manifest Destiny. Under the theory of Chosen People, the Americans pose themselves as people selected by God while Manifest Destiny colors American expansion as answering oracle from God. In the foreseeable future, faced with the dilemma of altruism and egoism, American universalism will keep making adjustment to meet the need of the changing social, political and economic reality at home and abroad.