Civil Religion and the Enlightenment in England, 1707-1800

During the 17th century, Enlightened writers in England transformed Christianity into a civil religion, blending it with ancient paganism to reconcile it with the civil state. This book explores how this movement connected classical Rome with Italian Renaissance humanism and the Enlightenment, highlighting the importance of outward observance of the reformed Protestant faith for belonging to the Christian commonwealth of Hanoverian England.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 14 May 2024
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

In the aftermath of the seventeenth-century European wars of religion, a group of Enlightened writers in England emerged with a novel approach to promoting Christianity. These writers, both lay and clerical, sought to transform Christianity into a civil religion, which could be embraced by the broader public and integrated into the fabric of society. Their goal was to reconcile Christian ecclesiology with the civil state and Christian practice with civilized society.

These civil religionists drew upon the long Reformation in England, which had sought to reform the Christian church and bring it closer to its ancient roots. They saw the Reformation as a historical process that had led to theSyncretization of primitive gospel Christianity with ancient paganism. By blending these two traditions, they hoped to create a modern version of Roman republican civil religion that could appeal to a broader audience.

The writers believed that outward observance of the reformed Protestant faith was essential for belonging to the Christian commonwealth of Hanoverian England. They argued that the church should play a central role in shaping public morality and promoting social harmony. They also believed that the state should respect the religious freedom of its citizens and not interfere in religious matters.

This interdisciplinary book explores a major theme in eighteenth-century intellectual and religious history, which connects classical Rome with Italian Renaissance humanism and the Enlightenment. The book draws from recent post-secular trends in social and political theory, combining intellectual history with the political and ecclesiastical history of the Church of England. It will prove as indispensable for historians as students of political theory, theology, and literature.

The writers of the Enlightenment in England sought to promote Christianity by transforming it into a civil religion that could be embraced by the broader public and integrated into the fabric of society. They drew upon the long Reformation in England, which had sought to reform the Christian church and bring it closer to its ancient roots. By blending these two traditions, they hoped to create a modern version of Roman republican civil religion that could appeal to a broader audience.

The writers believed that outward observance of the reformed Protestant faith was essential for belonging to the Christian commonwealth of Hanoverian England. They argued that the church should play a central role in shaping public morality and promoting social harmony. They also believed that the state should respect the religious freedom of its citizens and not interfere in religious matters.

This interdisciplinary book explores a major theme in eighteenth-century intellectual and religious history, which connects classical Rome with Italian Renaissance humanism and the Enlightenment. The book draws from recent post-secular trends in social and political theory, combining intellectual history with the political and ecclesiastical history of the Church of England. It will prove as indispensable for historians as students of political theory, theology, and literature.

Weight: 412g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781837651498