John Locke: Writings on Religion

This volume brings together a broad selection of John Locke's writings on religion and theology, many of which have never been published before Locke was a founder and shaper of modern thought and society, and his principal works are among the most influential ever written. Much that he wrote is either about religion or touches on it, which is not surprising, for he lived and worked during a time of heightened religious sensibility. Subjects that today would be considered to have little or no bearing on religion were viewed by him and his contemporaries within a theological frame: the nature of knowledge and belief, the origin of ideas, the nature of language, metaphysical questions concerning substance, personal identity, the relation of mind and body, the foundation of morality, the origin of civil society, toleration A right understanding of Locke requires that all of his opinions be viewed within this religious frame. Read together, and in context, these writings illustrate the deep and pervasive religious motivation in Locke's thought. They are key texts in intellectual history.

Professor Nuovo's writing is fluent and his research careful., Professor Victor Nuovo has already published a number of works of great interest to Locke scholars, and with this collection of some of Locke's writings on religion he places us further in his debt., The collection is intended to be, and undoubtedly will be, of use to philosophers, theologians and intellectual historians. . . . Moreover, the interest of the book is not restricted to religion and theology, but extends to general, metaphysical questions., [The] wonderful, forty-two page introduction . . . is in many respects a model of its kind. Clearly and elegantly, it argues the case for the centrality of religion and theology to Locke's thought, and introduces each of the seven sections in turn, with helpful discussion in footnotes of the relevant bibliography of both primary and secondary sources. Throughout, Locke is depicted as representing an enlightened and universalistic version of Christianity, as opposed to the dogmatism of Rome and Geneva. . . . there is an irresistible civility and decency that carries over from Locke into the introduction that will charm readers of every persuasion. Nor is its charm the introduction's only virtue; it is patently very competent in every respect.

Victor Nuovo is Senior Research Fellow, Harris Manchester College, Oxford, and Charles A. Dana Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Middlebury College.