The Reasonableness of Christianity: As Delivered in the Scriptures (Key Texts) [Facsimile] [Paperback]

John Locke (Author), Victor Nuovo (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Key Texts | Publication Date: December 1997

This is an indispensable document for anyone interested in the progress of Locke's thinking about the laws of nature, morality, religion, and the limits of reason, and it is a landmark text in the history of biblical and historical theology. As fashions in philosophy turn from logical analysis to the interpretation of texts, the method that Locke employs in this work is both instructive and prescient. It was and remains a controversial text. This edition contains the two Vindications Locke wrote in response to the attacks of his critics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`This is a text that every Locke scholar will want to possess and to ponder.' International Philosophical Quarterly, vol.XLI, no.4

`The value of critical editions of philosophical texts is now realized as never before. As a hermeneutical tool, a critical edition can establish many of the parameters of interpretation. It inevitably makes a judgment on the competing legitimacy of variant readings and, at its best, relates writers' thought to their other works, to other relevant texts, and to the broader context in which they arose. All of these results have been admirably achieved in this first critical edition of John Locke's Reasonableness.' International Philosophical Quarterly, vol.XLI, no.4

`In the case of Locke more than most, it would be foolhardy to say that the last word has been spoken, but it is hard to imagine that this work as a whole will be surpassed in value for many years to come.' Ecclesiastical History, vol. 52/4

`the editor's manner is refreshingly down-to-earth.' Ecclesiastical History, vol. 52/4

`excellent ... Throughout, Higgins-Biddle skilfully picks his way through a number of intellectual thickets.' Ecclesiastical History, vol. 52/4

`Higins-Biddle has in all probability produced the definitive edition of the Reasonableness in a fine piece of scholarship that meets the high standards established in the other volumes of the Clarendon Locke Edition' Paul Schuurman, British Journal for the History of Philosophy

`this volume is much to be welcomed since it gives a critical edition of Locke's text, based on a copy of the first edition that Locke annotated and is now kept at Harvard, as well as comprehensively noting the variant readings in the first and second editions and in the Collected Works of 1714 ... With the publication of this fine edition, readers today can judge for themselves the satisfactoriness of Locke's view of Christianity while students of Locke can enjoy the benefits of a critical text.' David A.Pailin, Journal of Theological Studies, Vol.52, No.1, April 2001

`This volume is the first modern critical edition of Locke's Reasonableness of Christianity published anonymously in 1695 ... The edition seems exemplary and is clearly the product of a great many years of study.' David L. Wykes, Transactions of the Unitarian Historical Society, Vol.XXII, No.3, April 2001

`of his works, The Reasonableness of Christianity ... is the first critical and annoted edition of the full text ... The introduction is readable, scholarly and instructive.' John A. Harrow, Hartley, The Expository Times, Sept.00. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

John C. Higgins-Biddle is an independent scholar based in Connecticut. He was formerly at the Divinity School of Yale University. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 460 pages
• Publisher: St. Augustine's Press; Facsimile of 1794 ed edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855065223
• ISBN-13: 978-1855065222
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,915,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical defense of Theism during the deist controversy, November 21, 1999

By 

Aquinatis (Paris) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Reasonableness of Christianity: As Delivered in the Scriptures (Key Texts) (Paperback)

(I am reposting this review, because the email address was wrong and it did not show up on my review page.)

The puritan physician John Locke (1632-1704) is one of the greatest philosophers, and certainly the one who was the most influential on the American civilization. Locke's life and the context in which he wrote this book are presented in Ewing's introduction, however without serious philosophical considerations. Ewing still mentions Locke's willingness to defend Christianity against the intellectual attacks lead by the deists, and how much opposition Locke's The Reasonableness of Christianity received, in particular from the revivalist clergyman Jonathan Edwards, who accused him of atheism. Since Locke's book did not have any divisions nor chapters, Ewing has numbered the paragraphes and compiled an outline.

Locke first deals with the need for salvation and the content of the gospel preached by the apostles and Jesus. He then proceeds to a very lengthy analysis of the gospels (as someone said: "Locke has no mercy on the patience of his readers.") Locke defends the Christian truth with the miracles and the resurrection of Jesus, His indirect declarations of Messiahship and His fulfilment of the messianic prophecies. I was surprised to learn much from Locke's sharp analysis of the gospels, for example why Jesus did not reveal His identity directly during most of His ministry. Locke then answers some general objections (about the salvation of the unevangelized, etc.) In the last part of the book Locke points at some insufficiencies in the general divine revelation in nature (although Locke believed in the truth of such a revelation) and argues for the necessity of special revelation.

Locke's arguments may have been convincing in his time. But Locke wrote before the attacks of Hume against miracles or before the attacks of the liberal theologians based on the historical-critical method. Locke's argumentation would be incomplete for modern readers. These would be more helped by modern apologetics books. However, those interested in an analysis of Jesus' ministry may benefit from Locke's book, provided they are motivated enough to endure his lengthy style. Those interested in Locke's philosophy may benefit more from the edition by I. T. Ramsey (John Locke. The Reasonableness of Christianity. With a Discourse on Miracles and Part of A Third Letter Concerning Toleration. Introduced and edited by I. T. Ramsey. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1958.) Ramsey has brilliantly introduced and outlined the book, has abridged the text, and also introduced and edited some of Locke's arguments about miracles.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical defense of Theism during the deist controversy, April 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Reasonableness of Christianity (Paperback)

The puritan physician John Locke (1632-1704) is one of the greatest philosophers, and certainly the one who was the most influential on the American civilization. Locke's life and the context in which he wrote this book are presented in Ewing's introduction, however without serious philosophical considerations. Ewing still mentions Locke's willingness to defend Christianity against the intellectual attacks lead by the deists, and how much opposition Locke's The Reasonableness of Christianity received, in particular from the revivalist clergyman Jonathan Edwards, who accused him of atheism. Since Locke's book did not have any divisions nor chapters, Ewing has numbered the paragraphes and compiled an outline.

Locke first deals with the need for salvation and the content of the gospel preached by the apostles and Jesus. He then proceeds to a very lengthy analysis of the gospels (as someone said: "Locke has no mercy on the patience of his readers.") Locke defends the Christian truth with the miracles and the resurrection of Jesus, His indirect declarations of Messiahship and His fulfilment of the messianic prophecies. I was surprised to learn much from Locke's sharp analysis of the gospels, for example why Jesus did not reveal His identity directly during most of His ministry. Locke then answers some general objections (about the salvation of the unevangelized, etc.) In the last part of the book Locke points at some insufficiencies in the general divine revelation in nature (although Locke believed in the truth of such a revelation) and argues for the necessity of special revelation.

Locke's arguments may have been convincing in his time. But Locke wrote before the attacks of Hume against miracles or before the attacks of the liberal theologians based on the historical-critical method. Locke's argumentation would be incomplete for modern readers. These would be more helped by modern apologetics books. However, those interested in an analysis of Jesus' ministry may benefit from Locke's book, provided they are motivated enough to endure his lengthy style. Those interested in Locke's philosophy may benefit more from the edition by I. T. Ramsey (John Locke. The Reasonableness of Christianity. With a Discourse on Miracles and Part of A Third Letter Concerning Toleration. Introduced and edited by I. T. Ramsey. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1958.) Ramsey has brilliantly introduced and outlined the book, has abridged the text, and also introduced and edited some of Locke's arguments about miracles.