Freedom And Redemption - Milton's Theological Concept In Paradise Lost

“He(John Milton) has neither predecessors, nor disciples”, said Ray Marla, an enlightenment writer. His words indicated the unique creativity and individuality of Milton. But it did not mean that Milton's thoughts existed in a vacuum. His works, especially three epic works, covered traditional history of European languages, literature and theology. Therefore, only when we realize the heritage of these traditional culture and European theology in Milton's epic, can we find the greatness of transcendence and creativity in Paradise Lost. Furthermore, only when we put his ideas in the category of traditional theology, especially Protestant and Post-Reformation theology, can we understand Milton's theological thought and achievement. Therefore, taking Post-Reformation and the protestant theology of the seventeenth century as the background context, we analyze core theological concepts of freedom, redemption, original sin and conversion in Paradise Lost. The main contents in this paper include:In the section of Introduction, we summarize the foreign research achievements of Paradise Lost, particularly in European and American countries and the domestic research states of Paradise Lost; some theological schools appeared in Paradise Lost and their interpretation those theological concepts; the brief introduction of Milton's De Doctrine Christian.In the first chapter, we discuss about, in paradise lost, Milton present what is a “Satanic theology”, including the source of the Satanic theology, its ideological nature, its interpretation of freedom, and Milton critiques to Satanic theology. Milton's real intention of description of Satanic theology at the beginning of the poem and its function in the whole poem.In the second chapter, we discuss about, in paradise lost, Milton's Universal Redemption theory and how did he sub-ordered and inherited critically it from Reformed theology. Milton abandoned the distinction, by reformed orthodoxy, of "decree”, viewing redemption as grace action of God to all human beings. In this poem he reconstructed the fatalism theology, went far beyond the theological framework of Reformed theology.In the third chapter, we discuss about the connections of Milton's definition of freedom of God to the traditional theology, especially the relationship with Reformed Orthodoxy and Arminianism; and Milton's insistence in the poem's theology of that all creaturely freedom is grounded in the deeper reality of contingent divine freedom.In the fourth chapter, we discuss about freedom of hum beings in Paradise Lost. The theology of Paradise Lost stands in close continuity with the Reformed orthodox conception of original sin as total depravity. Human nature has become slavishly turned in upon itself, and its horizons have in this way been drastically narrowed and restricted. Such a corrupted human nature cannot raise itself from itself; it cannot transcend itself in order to grasp again the genuine freedom that consists in abundant alternative possibilities. Such an enslaved will must, in other words, be liberated-it must be set free from itself in order to receive anew the power of freedom.In the fifth chapter, we discuss about the relationship of Grace, Conversion and Freedom in Paradise Lost. According to Milton, the nature of the original sin is not "arrogance or pride”, but disobey of God's will. He emphasizes the necessity of grace, and insists that grace is the start and end of all good. He believes that "no one can think of, willing to practice any good things" unless he cooperates with grace of God. But he still stresses that "dispensation of grace" is not irresistible. With the highlights of absolute sovereignty of God in Paradise Lost, he, thus, highlights the universalism of grace and his emphasis on the decisive role of the freedom of human will in obtaining salvation.