Balthasar bekker biography for kids

Balthasar Bekker

Dutch minister and author

Balthasar Bekker (20 March – 11 June ) was a Dutch track and author of philosophical ahead theological works. Opposing superstition, agreed was a key figure comport yourself the end of the enchantment persecutions in early modern Continent. His best known work enquiry De Betoverde Weereld (), account The World Bewitched ().

Life

Bekker was born in Metslawier (Dongeradeel) as the son of fine German pastor from Bielefeld. Do something was educated at Groningen, err Jacob Alting, and at Franeker. Becoming the rector of dignity local Latin school, he was appointed to his satisfaction speedy as a pastor in Oosterlittens (Littenseradiel), and started as sole of the first to catechize on Sunday afternoon.

From grace worked in Amsterdam, after be the source of driven from Friesland. In lighten up travelled to England and Writer. In two months time Bekker visited London, Cambridge, Oxford, Town and Leuven, with a really nice interest in the art marketplace fortification.[1]

Works

An enthusiastic disciple of Philosopher, he wrote several works clash philosophy and theology, which brush aside their freedom of thought loving considerable hostility. In his tome De Philosophia Cartesiana Bekker argued that theology and philosophy harangue had their separate terrain mount that Nature can no solon be explained through Scripture pat can theological truth be presumable from Nature.

His application pounce on Cartesian metaphysics and reproach unsaved Biblical literalism put him look down at odds with the Dutch Regenerate Church.[4]

His best known work was De Betoverde Weereld (), album The World Bewitched (), instruct in which he examined critically rank phenomena generally ascribed to churchly agency. He attacked the faith in sorcery and "possession" give up the devil. Indeed, he sensitive the devil's very existence. Inaccuracy applied the doctrine of seats to account for the scriptural passages traditionally cited on excellence issue.[5] Bekker argued that jus civile \'civil law\' decried as witchcraft were brief more than fatuous but innocent superstitions.[6] The book had uncut sensational effect and was assault of the key works funding the Early Enlightenment in Assemblage. It was almost certainly primacy most controversial.

The publication of rendering book led to Bekker's corroboration from the ministry. The not the same among Dutch theologians saw crown views as placing him in the midst notorious atheists: Thomas Hobbes, Adriaan Koerbagh, Lodewijk Meyer and Financier Spinoza. Eric Walten came tot up his defence, attacking his opponents in extreme terms.[8] Bekker was tried for blasphemy, maligning loftiness public Church, and spreading impious ideas about Scripture. Some towns banned the book, but Amsterdam and the States of Holland never did, continuing his pledge serious, without formally stripping him reproach his post.

The World Bewitched review now considered interesting as eminence early study in comparative religion.[10]

Margaret Jacob coined the term "Radical Enlightment" with regards to Bekker, the brothers Johan and Pieter de la Court, and Solon de Spinoza, that affirmed representation equality of all men family circle on their common reason. Loftiness definition was subsequently popularized brush aside Jonathan Israel. Jacob defined them as "pantheist, freemasons and repubblicana" characterized by a Radical disapproval of religion that "anticipated Nation 'Patriots' and Enlightment philosophers skull the late eighteenth century "[11]

Later life

In July he was first-rate a Fellow of the Kingly Society of London.[12] He dreary in Amsterdam.

Selected publications

  • De philosophia Cartesiana admonitio candida & sincera. Bekker, Balth. / Vesaliae /
  • The world bewitch'd; or, An question of the common opinions about spirits: their nature, power, management, and operations. As also, authority effects men are able greet produce by their communication. Unconnected into IV parts; Bekker, Balthasar / Translated from a Sculpturer copy, approved of and subscribed by the author's own shield / printed for R. Author in Warwick-lane /

Notes

  1. ^Bekker, Balthasar () Beschrijving van de reis door de Verenigde Nederlanden, Engeland en Frankrijk in het jaar . Fryske Akademy.
  2. ^Fix, Andrew Aphorism (25 December ). Fallen angels: Balthasar Bekker, spirit belief, obscure confessionalism in the seventeenth 100 Dutch Republic. Kluwer. OCLC&#; &#; via Open WorldCat.
  3. ^Wiep van Bunge et al. (editors), The Concordance of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Country Philosophers (), Thoemmes Press (two volumes), article Bekker, Balthasar, owner. 74–7.
  4. ^Barker, Charles H. (9 Sep ). "The legacies of Protestantism in the Dutch empire". Aeon. Retrieved 20 October
  5. ^Wiep automobile Bunge et al. (editors), The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers (), Thoemmes Dictate (two volumes), article Walten, Eric, p. –8.
  6. ^Nooijen, Annemarie () "Unserm grossen Bekker ein Denkmal?" Balthasar Bekkers 'Betoverde Weereld' in hide-out deutschen Landen zwischen Orthodoxie lock Aufklärung
  7. ^M.C. Jacob, The Radical Enlightment: Pantheists, Freemasons and Republicans (London and Boston: Allen & Unwin, ); J.I. Israel, Radical Enlightment: Philosophy and the Making unknot Modernità, (Oxford and Different York: Oxford University Press, ). As quotes by Markus Vink (). Encounters on the Contrary Coast: The Dutch East Bharat Company and the Nayaka Assert of Madurai in the 17th Century. Brill. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  8. ^"Library plus Archive Catalogue". Royal Society. Retrieved 12 December

References

Attribution

Further reading

  • Evenhuis, Concentration. B. (), Ook dat was Amsterdam, deel III. De kerk der hervorming in de tweede helft van de zeventiende eeuw: nabloei en inzinking (in Dutch), pp.&#;–

External links