Boyle-Lectures

Die Boyle Lectures sind nach Robert Boyle benannt, einem bedeutenden Naturphilosophen des 17. Jahrhunderts. Im Rahmen seines Testaments stiftete Robert Boyle eine Reihe von Vorlesungen oder Predigten (ursprünglich acht pro Jahr), die sich mit der Beziehung zwischen dem Christentum und der neuen Naturphilosophie befassen sollten, die zu dieser Zeit in der europäischen Gesellschaft aufkam. Seit 2004 wird diese prestigeträchtige Vortragsreihe mit Unterstützung des Board of the Boyle Lectures von der International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) organisiert und an einem der ursprünglichen Veranstaltungsorte, der Kirche St. Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside in der Londoner City, abgehalten.

Geschichte

Frühe Vorlesungen

Die erste derartige Vorlesung wurde 1692 von Richard Bentley gehalten, an den Isaac Newton geschrieben hatte:

„Sir, When I wrote my Treatise about our System, I had an Eye upon such Principles as might work with considering Men, for the Belief of a Deity; nothing can rejoice me more than to find it useful for that Purpose.^[1]^[2]“

Die frühen Prediger hatten den ausdrücklichen Auftrag, die Wahrheit der christlichen Religion gegenüber Juden, Muslimen und Ungläubigen zu beweisen, ohne dabei Kontroversen oder Unterschiede zwischen verschiedenen christlichen Gruppen zu berücksichtigen.

Ein Geistlicher sollte von Thomas Tenison (dem späteren Erzbischof von Canterbury) und drei weiteren ernannten Treuhändern für einen Zeitraum von höchstens drei Jahren zum Dozenten ernannt werden. Boyle hatte anfangs die Miete aus seinem Haus in der Londoner Crooked Lane zur Unterstützung der Vorlesungen abgetreten, doch die Einnahmen aus dieser Quelle versiegten bald. Erzbischof Tenison veranlasste daraufhin, dass die Pachteinnahmen aus einem Bauernhof in der Gemeinde Brill in Buckinghamshire in Höhe von 12,10 £ pro Quartal an den Dozenten gezahlt werden sollten.

Wiederauflage

Die Boyle-Vorlesungen wurden 2004 in der Kirche St. Mary-le-Bow in der Londoner City von Michael Byrne, einem Fellow des Birkbeck College der University of London, wiederbelebt. Finanziell unterstützt wurden die Vorlesungen von einer Reihe von Mäzenen, vor allem von der Worshipful Company of Grocers und der Worshipful Company of Mercers in der Stadt.

Nachdem Michael Byrne die ersten 15 Vorlesungen der neuen Reihe organisiert hatte, trat er 2018 als Einberufender zurück. Die Leitung der Vorlesung ging daraufhin an die International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Boyle Lectures Board of Trustees über.

Chronologische Liste

17. Jahrhundert

1692 – A Confutation of Atheism, by Richard Bentley^[3]^[4]^[5]
1693–94 – A Demonstration of the Messias, in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews, by Richard Kidder^[6]
1694 – Richard Bentley^[7]
1695 – The Possibility, Expediency and Necessity of Divine Revelation, by John Williams^[8]
1696 – The Perfection of the Evangelical Revelation, by John Williams
1697 – The Certainty of the Christian Revelation and the Necessity of believing it, established, by Francis Gastrell
1698 – The Atheistical Objections against the Being of God and His Attributes fairly considered and fully refuted, by John Harris
1699 – The Credibility of the Christian Revelation, from its intrinsick Evidence, by Samuel Bradford
1700 – The Sufficiency of a Standing Revelation, by Offspring Blackall

18. Jahrhundert

1701–02 – Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion, by George Stanhope
1703 – Adams
1704 – A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, by Samuel Clarke
1705 – The Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion, by Samuel Clarke
1706 – Arguments to Prove the Being of a God, by John Hancock
1707 – The Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies, by William Whiston
1708 – The Wisdom of God in the Redemption of Man, as delivered in the Holy Scriptures, vindicated from the chief Objections of Modern Infidels, by John Turner
1709 – Religion no Matter of Shame, by Lilly Butler
1710 – The Divine Original and Excellence of the Christian Religion, by Josiah Woodward
1711–12 – Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation, by William Derham
1713–14 – On the Exercise of Private Judgment, or Free-Thinking, by Benjamin Ibbot
1717–18 – Natural Obligations to Believe the Principles of Religion and Divine Revelation, by John Leng
1719 – An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil, by John Clarke
1720 – On the Origin of Evil, by John Clarke
1721 – The pretended Difficulties in Natural or Revealed Religion, no Excuse for Infidelity, by Robert Gurdon
1724–25 – A Demonstration of True Religion, in a Chain of Consequences from certain and undeniable Principles, by Thomas Burnett
1725–28 – John Denne
1730–32 – The Gradual Revelation of the Gospel from the time of Man's Apostacy, by William Berriman
1736–38 – The History of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, confirmed from other Authors, and considered as full Evidence for the Truth of Christianity, by Richard Biscoe
1739–41 – Leonard Twells
1747–49 – Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists, by Henry Stebbing
1750–52 – John Jortin
1759–62 – Charles Moss
1763 – A Discourse upon the Being of God against Atheists, by Ralph Heathcote
1769–71 – The Intent and Propriety of the Scripture Miracles considered and explained, by Henry Owen
1778–80 – An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind, by James Williamson

19. Jahrhundert

1802–05 – An Historical View of the Rise and Progress of Infidelity, with a Refutation of its Principles and Reasonings, by William Van Mildert
1812 – William Van Mildert
1814 – Frederick Nolan
1821 – The Connection of Christianity with Human Happiness, by William Harness
1845–46 – The Religions of the World; and Their Relations to Christianity Considered in Eight Lectures – Frederick Denison Maurice
1854 – Christopher Wordsworth
1861 – The Bible and its Critics: an Enquiry into the Objective Reality of Revealed Truths, by Edward Garbett
1862 – The Conflict between Science and Infidelity, by Edward Garbett
1864 – The Conversion of the Roman empire, by Charles Merivale
1865 – The Conversion of the Northern Nations, by Charles Merivale
1866–67 – Christ and Christendom, by Edward Hayes Plumptre
1868 – The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ, by Stanley Leathes
1869 – The Witness of St. Paul to Christ, by Stanley Leathes
1870 – The Witness of St. John to Christ, by Stanley Leathes
1871–72 – Moral Difficulties Connected with the Bible, by James Augustus Hessey
1874–75 – Christianity and Morality Or the Correspondence of the Gospel with the Moral Nature of Man, by Henry Wace
1876 – What is Natural Theology?, by Alfred Barry
1877–78 – The Manifold Witness for Christ, by Alfred Barry
1879–80 – The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist, by George Frederick Maclear
1884 – The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief, by George Herbert Curteis
1890 – Old Truths in Modern Lights (The Present Conflict of Science and Theology), by T. G. Bonney
1891 – Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought, by T. G. Bonney
1893 – Ascent of Faith or the Grounds of Certainty in Science and Religion, by Alexander James Harrison
1895 – The Gospel of Experience Or the Witness of Human Life to the Truth of Revelation, by W. C. E. Newbolt
1897 – William Benham

20. Jahrhundert

1903–05 – The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects, by Richard John Knowling
1935–36 – God, Creation and Revelation, by Allen John MacDonald
1965 – The Christian Universe, by Eric Mascall

21. Jahrhundert

2004 – Darwin, Design, and the Promise of Nature, by John F. Haught
2005 – Darwin's Compass: How Evolution Discovers the Song of Creation, by Simon Conway Morris, with a response by Keith Ward
2006 – The Emergence of Spirit: From Complexity to Anthropology to Theology, by Philip Clayton
2007 – Cosmology of Ultimate Concern, by John D. Barrow, with a response by Martin Rees
2008 – Psychologising and Neurologising about Religion: Facts, Fallacies and the Future, by Malcolm Jeeves, with a response by Fraser Watts
2009 – Misusing Darwin: The Materialist Conspiracy in Evolutionary Biology, by Keith Ward, with a response by John Polkinghorne
2010 – The Legacy of Robert Boyle – Then and Now, by John Hedley Brooke, with a response by Geoffrey Cantor
2011 – Is the World Unfinished? On Interactions between Science and Theology, by Jürgen Moltmann, with a response by Alan Torrance
2012 – Christ and Evolution: A Drama of Wisdom, by Celia Deane-Drummond, with a response by Fount LeRon Shults
2013 – Science and Religion in Dialogue, by John Polkinghorne, with a response by Richard Chartres
2014 – New Atheism – New Apologetics: The Use of Science in Recent Christian Apologetic Writings, by Alister McGrath, with a response by Richard Harries
2015 – Natural Theology Revisited (Again), by Russell Re Manning, with a response by Louise Hickman
2016 – Natural Theology in a Changed Key? Evolution, Cooperation, and the God Question, by Sarah Coakley, with a response by Christopher Insole
2017 – Theological Influences in Scientific Research Programmes: Natural Theology ‘in Reverse’, by Robert J. Russell, with a response by Rowan Williams
2018 – Apocalypses Now: Modern Science and Biblical Miracles, by Mark Harris, with a response by John Hedley Brooke
2019 – Science, Religion and Ethics, by Michael Reiss
2020 – Mental Health and the Gospel, by Christopher Cook, with a response by Fraser Watts
2021 – The Rediscovery of Contemplation Through Science, by Tom McLeish, with a response by Rowan Williams
2022 – God and a World of Natural Evil: Theology and Science in Hard Conversation, by Prof Christopher Southgate, with a response by Andrew Davidson
2023 – Attending to Attention, by The Rt Revd and Rt Hon the Lord (Rowan) Williams of Oystermouth, with response from Dr John Teasdale
2024 – Is religion natural?, by David Fergusson, with response from Fiona Ellis.

Literatur

Boyle, Robert, and the Boyle Lectures, in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. II (CCEL)

Einzelnachweise

↑ Scholars and Antiquaries (The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21))
↑ "Notes on the Religious Orientation of Scientists" by Gerald Holton in Science Ponders Religion, Harlow Shapley, Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1960, S. 59.
↑ John Henry Parker: J. H. Parker's Divinity Catalogue, Oxford, 1837, S. 39
↑ Richard Bentley: Eight Boyle Lectures on Atheism, New York, Garland 1976
↑ Separate first editions of lectures #2–8: Richard Bentley: Matter and Motion Cannot Think, Or A Confutation of Atheism from the Faculties of the Soul, T. Parkhurst and H. Mortlock, London, 1692.
↑ Gilbert Burnet: Boyle Lectures (1692–1732): A Defence of Natural and Revealed Religion, being an Abridgement of the Sermons preached at the Lectures founded by Robert Boyle. Philosophy and Christian Thought in Britain 1700–1900, Bristol, Thoemmes 2000
↑ James Henry Monk: The life of Richard Bentley, with an account of his writings and anecdotes of many distinguished characters during the period in which he flourished, London: Printed for J. G. & F. Rivington, 1833
↑ John Williams: A collection of eight sermons preached in defense of the Christian religion, called the "Boyle lectures", 1694-1696, London: Printed for Ric. Chitwell ... and Tho. Cockerill ..., 1695

[1] Scholars and Antiquaries (The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21))

[2] "Notes on the Religious Orientation of Scientists" by Gerald Holton in Science Ponders Religion, Harlow Shapley, Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1960, S. 59.

[3] John Henry Parker: J. H. Parker's Divinity Catalogue, Oxford, 1837, S. 39

[4] Richard Bentley: Eight Boyle Lectures on Atheism, New York, Garland 1976

[5] Separate first editions of lectures #2–8: Richard Bentley: Matter and Motion Cannot Think, Or A Confutation of Atheism from the Faculties of the Soul, T. Parkhurst and H. Mortlock, London, 1692.

[6] Gilbert Burnet: Boyle Lectures (1692–1732): A Defence of Natural and Revealed Religion, being an Abridgement of the Sermons preached at the Lectures founded by Robert Boyle. Philosophy and Christian Thought in Britain 1700–1900, Bristol, Thoemmes 2000

[7] James Henry Monk: The life of Richard Bentley, with an account of his writings and anecdotes of many distinguished characters during the period in which he flourished, London: Printed for J. G. & F. Rivington, 1833

[8] John Williams: A collection of eight sermons preached in defense of the Christian religion, called the "Boyle lectures", 1694-1696, London: Printed for Ric. Chitwell ... and Tho. Cockerill ..., 1695

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