John Locke and the Eighteenth-Century Divines

John Locke (1632-1704) has been lauded as the most influential English philosopher. This book provides the first detailed account of the influence of John Locke upon the religious thinkers of the eighteenth century, and discusses the implications for Christian apologetics. Locke set out to discover the limits of human understanding, and in the course of his discussion considered such matters as reason, revelation, faith and enthusiasm. His practical interests were strong, and when considering how we ought to live he appealed to the Bible and especially to the teaching and example of Christ. He also paraphrased a number of Paul's epistles, endeavouring to grasp the apostle's message as a whole, setting his face against `proof-texting' attempts to support particular theological systems. Such an author could not fail to have an impact upon the religious writers who came after him. Many responded to Locke, but as Professor Sell shows, the responses were varied: some were enthusiastic, others hostile, many qualified.