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''De Doctrina Christiana'' (''Christian Doctrine'') is a Latin manuscript found in 1823 and attributed to John Milton, who died 148 years prior. Since Milton was blind by the time of the work's creation, this attribution assumes that an amanuensis aided the author. The history and style of ''Christian Doctrine'' have created much controversy. Critics have argued about the authority of the text as representative of Milton's philosophy based on possible problems with its authorship, its production, and over what its content actually means. As Lieb has shown "... I do not think we shall ever know conclusively whether or not Milton authored all of the ''De Doctrina Christiana'', part of it, or none of it."〔Lieb,"De Doctrina Christiana and the Question of Authorship" (2002), p. 172.〕 Both Charles R. Sumner and John Carey have translated the work into English. Sumner's edition was first printed in 1825. This was the only translation until Carey's in 1973. ==Background== The only manuscript of ''Christian Doctrine'' was found during 1823 in London's Old State Paper Office (at the Middle Treasury Gallery in Whitehall).〔''Complete Poetry and Essential Prose'' Intro to ''Christian Doctrine''〕 The work was one of many in a bundle of state papers written by John Milton while he served as Secretary of Foreign Tongues under Oliver Cromwell. The manuscript was provided with a prefatory epistle that explains the background and history to the formation of the work. If it is genuine, the manuscript is the same work referred to in Milton's ''Commonplace Book'' and in an account by Edward Phillips, Milton's nephew, of a theological "tractate".〔 Because Milton was blind, the manuscript of ''De Doctrina Christiana'' was the work of two people: Daniel Skinner and Jeremie Picard.〔Lieb p. 18〕 Picard first copied the manuscript from previous works and Skinner prepared the work to be copied for typesetting, although there are a few unidentified editors who made changes to the manuscript.〔 After Milton died in 1674, Daniel Skinner was given ''Christian Doctrine'' along with Milton's other manuscripts.〔Campbell et al.〕 In 1675, Skinner attempted to publish the work in Amsterdam, but it was rejected, and in 1677 he was pressured by the English government to hand over the document upon which it was then hidden.〔 There have been only two translations of ''De Doctrina Christiana''. The first was the Charles edition first produced in 1825, titled ''A treatise on Christian doctrine compiled from the Holy Scriptures alone''.〔Sumner trans.〕 The original Latin text was included alongside the English translation.〔 However, the next translation produced by Carey was not in a dual language format.〔Carey trans.〕 Both of these two original translations identified Milton as the author.〔〔 There is a minority line of criticism that denies ''Christian Doctrine'' as a work produced by Milton, but these critics have suggested no authors in place of Milton.〔Hunter p. 130〕 These denials are grounded in the assumptions that a blind Milton would struggle to rely on so many Biblical quotations and that the ''Christian Doctrine'' is the sole reason why Milton is viewed as having a heterodox theological understanding.〔 In response to this argument, many critics have focused on defending Milton's authorship e.g. Lewalski and Fallon. The argument also fails to account for the high Biblical literacy of the time. Currently many scholars support Miltonic authorship of the piece, and most editions of Milton's prose include the work.〔Campbell ''Milton and the Manuscript of De Doctrina Christiana''〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「De Doctrina Christiana (Milton)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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