Finding Locke's God : the theological basis of John Locke's political thought /

Guy, Nathan,

Finding Locke's God : the theological basis of John Locke's political thought / Nathan Guy. - 1 online resource (244 pages) - Bloomsbury collections. .

Online access provided by Bloomsbury Publishing as part of Bloomsbury collections.

Acknowledgements -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part I:In Defense of the Religious Turn -- 1. The New Perspective on Locke: The Religious (Re)Turn in Locke Scholarship -- 2. Life in the Areopagus: Secular Echoes, Religious Refrain -- 3. Locke and the Latitudinarians: Locke's Religious Experience and Theological Influences in the Context of Seventeenth-Century England -- Part II: From A "Religious" to a "Theological" Turn: Tracing Locke's Theological Argumentation -- 4. The God of Christianity and the Foundations of Morality -- 5. Natural Law, the Law of Nature and a Theology of Creation -- 6. Revelation, Reason and Scripture -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index

The portrait of John Locke as a secular advocate of Enlightenment rationality has been deconstructed by the recent 'religious turn' in Locke scholarship. This book takes an important next step: moving beyond the 'religious turn' and establishing a 'theological turn', Nathan Guy argues that John Locke ought to be viewed as a Christian political philosopher whose political theory was firmly rooted in the moderating Latitudinarian theology of the seventeenth-century. Nestled between the secular political philosopher and the Christian public theologian stands Locke, the Christian political philosopher, whose arguments not only self-consciously depend upon Christian assumptions, but also offer a decidedly Christian theory of government. Finding Locke's God identifies three theological pillars crucial to Locke's political theory: (1) a biblical depiction of God, (2) the law of nature rooted in a doctrine of creation and (3) acceptance of divine revelation in scripture. As a result, Locke's political philosophy brings forth theologically-rich aims, while seeking to counter or disarm threats such as atheism, hyper-Calvinism, and religious enthusiasm. Bringing these items together, Nathan Guy demonstrates how each pillar supports Locke's Latitudinarian political philosophy and provides a better understanding of how he grounds his notions of freedom, equality and religious toleration. Convincingly argued and meticulously researched, this book offers an exciting new direction for Locke studies.

1350103543 9781350103542

10.5040/9781350103542


Locke, John, 1632-1704 --Religion.


Philosophy.
Christianity and politics--History--England--17th century.

B1298.R4

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