Thank you for the question on Transcendentalism and the Bible, “What does the Bible say about transcendentalism?”
One may define Transcendentalism as a philosophical and social movement that emphasizes the inherent goodness of all nature and humanity. It is the belief that people can find truth by themselves through their own intuition and imagination. People are at their best when they are most self-reliant and independent.
When one compares Scripture with transcendentalism, they are contrasting views on the nature of humans. The Scriptures says this about the humans:
A. The Scriptures describes humans with the capacity to reason and to feel. He is able to know good and evil.
Genesis 2 says this, “8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil…16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages.) Bible citations are from the New International Version.
Man has the capacity to know good and evil. He is able to distinguish right and wrong.
B. The Scripture describes humans as having a defect within his nature or a corrupt nature within themselves.”
Genesis 4 says this, “6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”[d] While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (NIV).
Romans 1 says this, “18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen” (NIV).
Humans have the capacity to know/reason what is good and evil, but their bented will of selfishness will lead them to choose self over others. There is no divine spark within humans. There is none righteous, not even one.
Every driver is able to read the posted speed limit sign. Every driver knows that one is to make a full stop e is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.on a stop sign before turning. Many if not most drives will justify going over the speed limit as a “recommended” speed unless a patrol car is behind the driver. We know that one is to love his neighbor as oneself but we rationale that one must care fore is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. one’s needs first and if there is any time or money left over, then one might consider giving a dollar or two to a charity. Human knows what is good and evil, but one’s selfishness elevates oneself over others.
C. The Scripture describes that human rationale will more often than not will lead him to a hurtful or destructive end.
Proverbs 16 says this, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (verse 25).
King Solomon in writing the Book of Ecclesiastes was correct in his observation of human nature. Even with all his insight, his experiences in life concluded that life with God is ultimately futile and meaningless, he lived a contradictory life. If there was a “perfect” environment for goodness and righteousness, the best to come from him and from his people, it would have been during the reign of Solomon and yet in one generation the decline began with his children.
Do humans truly have control over their own passions and feelings? Haven’t every person experienced one reasonings or the reasons given by another person was voided by one’s personal feelings? Are humans truly objective or subjective? Scripture states that human mind or heart is self-deceiving whereby the actions are not control by the mind but more so by one’s passion.
I am not convince that humans can transcend their own selfishness, self-preservation or have the ability to do what is just and right, seeking the best of others. In the cultural revolution in China, the Chinese government experiment of equal pay for everyone, the redistribution of wealth, the Red Book of Mao for education and moral living, social medicine for every person in society, communal living and community support, in my viewpoint, failed due to selfishness of man. Why work hard if one is going to get paid regardless of the effort given? Did the officials in the government received the same pay as the common worker or lived in a modest home? Was their lifestyle typical of most Chinese? It does not appear to be so as leaders become entrenched in their office, believing that they deserve more for the sacrifice to bring about the Communist and Cultural Revolution.
SUMMARY: Transcendentalism is an ideal search for a perfect world which the Scriptures describe will be fulfilled at the return of Jesus Christ. It’s the search for the Garden of Eden on earth.
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/unanswered/What-does-the-Bible-say-about-transcendentalism