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Not to be confused with Robert Boyle Lecture.

The Boyle Lectures are named after Robert Boyle, a prominent natural philosopher of the 17th century and son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. Under the terms of his Will, Robert Boyle endowed a series of lectures or sermons (originally eight each year) which were to consider the relationship between Christianity and the new natural philosophy (today's 'science') then emerging in European society. Since 2004, this prestigious Lectures series has been organized, with the assistance of Board of the Boyle Lectures, by the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) and has been held at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London.

History

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Early lectures

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The first such lecture was given in 1692 by Richard Bentley, to whom Isaac Newton had written:

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]

The early lecturers were specifically charged to prove the truth of the Christian religion against Jews, Muslims and non-believers, without considering any controversies or differences that might exist between different Christian groups.

"To preach eight sermons in the year, for proving the Christian religion against notorious infidels, viz. Atheists, Deists, Pagans, Jews, Mahometans, not descending to any controversies that are among Christians themselves."

— Richard Bentley, The Folly and Unreasonableness of Atheism; The Epistle Dedicatory.

A clergyman was to be appointed to the lectureship for a term of no more than three years by Thomas Tenison (later Archbishop of Canterbury) and three other nominated trustees.[3] Boyle had assigned the rent from his house in Crooked Lane to support the lectures but the income from that source soon disappeared. Archbishop Tenison then arranged that the rental income from a farm in the parish of Brill in Buckinghamshire was to be paid at the rate of £12.10.00 per quarter to the lecturer.[4]

Revival

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The Boyle Lectures were revived in 2004 at the famous Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow in the City of London by Dr Michael Byrne, a Fellow of Birkbeck College London. Financial support for the lectures has been provided by a number of patrons, principally the Worshipful Company of Grocers and the Worshipful Company of Mercers in the city. A book to mark the 10th anniversary of the revived series was edited by Russell Re Manning and Michael Byrne and published by SCM Press in 2013 as 'Science and Religion in the Twenty-First Century: The Boyle Lectures 2004-2013'.

Having convened the first 15 lectures in the new series, Michael Byrne stepped down as Convenor in 2018. Management of the lecture then passed to the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) in cooperation with the Boyle Lectures Board of Trustees. Members of the board include John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork; the Hon. Robert Boyle; Julian Tregoning, Past Master of the Grocers' Company; Xenia Dennan, Past Master of the Mercers Company; the Revd George R. Bush, Rector of St Mary-le-Bow; Emeritus Professor John Hedley Brooke; Dr Russell Re Manning; Professor Fraser Watts; and the Revd Michael Reiss, former President of the ISSR.

Chronological list

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17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
21st century

References

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  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, p. 59
  3. ^ a b Newton, Thomas (1808). Dissertations on the prophecies: which have remarkably been fulfilled and at this time are fulfilling in the world. Vol. 1. Berwick: Printed by W. Gracie for J. Rennison [etc.] p. 257. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  4. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z (Firm), John Henry Parker (1837). J. H. Parker's Divinity Catalogue. Oxford. p. 39. ISBN 0-524-00298-3. (titles might be trimmed)
  6. ^ Bentley, Richard (1976). Eight Boyle Lectures on Atheism. New York: Garland. ISBN 978-0-8240-1752-1.
  7. ^ Separate first editions of lectures #2–8: Bentley, Richard (1692). Matter and Motion Cannot Think, Or A Confutation of Atheism from the Faculties of the Soul. London: T. Parkhurst and H. Mortlock. Archived from the original on 10 May 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2008. A Confutation of Atheism from the Structure and Origin of Humane Bodies. London. 1692. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2008. A Confutation of Atheism from the Origin and Frame of the World. London. 1693. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2008. The eight lectures, from 1735 edition, reprinted Alexander Dyce, ed. (1838). The Works of Richard Bentley, Vol. 3. London: Francis Macpherson. First full edition, in html Archived 2011-05-24 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Burnet, Gilbert, ed. (2000). 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. ISBN 978-1-85506-813-1.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Horne, Thomas Hartwell (1827). A Catalogue of the Library of the College of St. Margaret and St. Bernard: Commonly Called Queen's College, in the University of Cambridge. London: S. and R. Bentley. pp. 301–304.
  10. ^ Monk, James Henry (1833). The life of Richard Bentley, with an account of his writings and anecdotes of many distinguished characters during the period in which he flourished. University of California Libraries. London : Printed for J. G. & F. Rivington.
  11. ^ Williams, J., Five Sermons at the Boyle Lectures
  12. ^ Williams, John (1695). [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 ... OCLC 26374055.
  13. ^ Oliver, Ryan (December 2007). "Aliens and Atheists: The Plurality of Worlds and Natural Theology in Seventeenth-Century England". p. 66. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
  14. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Harris, John" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 04 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 20; see lines six and seven. In 1698 he was entrusted with the delivery of the seventh series of the Boyle lectures—Atheistical Objections against the Being of God and His Attributes fairly considered and fully refuted.
  15. ^ a b c d e "St Mary le Bow Church, London - Boyle Lectures". Retrieved 4 September 2008.
  16. ^ Clarke, Samuel. A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God, the Obligations of Natural Religion, and the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Revelation, in opposition to Hobbes, Spinoza, the author of the Oracles of Reason, and other Deniers of Natural and Revealed Religion (1823 ed.). Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  17. ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Clarke, Samuel" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 06 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 445–447, see third para, line two. As Boyle lecturer, he dealt in 1704 with the Being and Attributes of God, and in 1705 with the Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion.
  18. ^ Derham, William (1720). Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation (fifth ed.). London: W. and J. Innys. ISBN 0-405-10383-2. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  19. ^ Clarke, John (1720). An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil. London: James Knapton. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  20. ^ http://www.ilab.org/db/detail.php?booknr=350617182[permanent dead link‍]
  21. ^ Burnett, Thomas (1726). A Demonstration of True Religion, in a Chain of Consequences from certain and undeniable Principles; wherein the Necessity and Certainty of Natural and Revealed Religion, with the Nature and Reason of both are explained, and in particular the Authority of the Christian Revelation is established, not only from the Natures, and Reasons of things, but also from the Relation it bears to the Scriptures of the Old Testament. London: Arthur Betyesworth. Vol. 1; Vol. 2
  22. ^ Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1888). "Denne, John" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 14. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  23. ^ Biscoe, Richard (1840). The History of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, confirmed from other Authors, and considered as full Evidence for the Truth of Christianity. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-548-70278-0. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  24. ^ Twells, Leonard (1743). Twenty-four Sermons Preach'd at the Parish Church of St. Mary Le Bow: London, in the Years 1739, 1740, 1741, at the Lecture Founded by the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq; and Eight Sermons Preach'd at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, in the Years 1738 and 1739, at the Lecture Founded by the Honoured Lady Moyer. To which are Added, A Visitation Sermon, A Sermon before the Religious Societies and a Charity Sermon. London., Vol. 1; Vol. 2
  25. ^ Stebbing, Henry. Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  26. ^ Popkin, Richard Henry (1992). "Prognostics from Nostradamus to Hume". The Third Force in Seventeenth-century Thought. BRILL. p. 299. ISBN 978-90-04-09324-9.
  27. ^ Wikisource:Moss, Charles (DNB00)
  28. ^ Owen, Henry (1773). The Intent and Propriety of the Scripture Miracles considered and explained. London. ISBN 1-104-31163-1. Vol. 1; Vol. 2
  29. ^ Williamson, James (1783). An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind. P. Elmsly. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Hunt, John (January 1999). Religious Thought in England in the Nineteenth Century. Adegi Graphics LLC. pp. 38, 338–342. ISBN 978-1-4212-6545-2.
  31. ^ Humphry, William (1858). Eight discourses on the miracles : preached in the parish church of St. Martin in the Fields in the year 1857: at the lecture founded by the Hon. Robert Boyle. London: John W. Parker. OCLC 52633386.
  32. ^ "The Christian observer". The Christian Observer. 60. London: Hatchard and Co.: 696–710 September 1861.
  33. ^ Garbett, Edward (1861). The Bible and its critics: an enquiry into the objective reality of revealed truths ___ being the Boyle lectures for MDCCCLXI. London: Seeley and Griffiths. ISBN 978-0-7905-0892-4.
  34. ^ New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Aachen - Basilians | Christian Classics Ethereal Library Archived February 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  35. ^ Leathes, Stanley (1868). The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ. London, Oxford and Cambridge: Rivingtons. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  36. ^ Leathes, Stanley (1869). The Witness of St. Paul to Christ. London, Oxford and Cambridge: Rivingtons. ISBN 0-8370-9713-4. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  37. ^ Leathes, Stanley (1870). The Witness of St. John to Christ. London, Oxford and Cambridge: Rivingtons. ISBN 0-8370-5662-4. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  38. ^ Wace, Henry (1882). Christianity and Morality Or the Correspondence of the Gospel with the Moral Nature of Man (Fifth ed.). London: Pickering. ISBN 0-7905-0410-3.
  39. ^ a b "New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Aachen - Basilians - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org.
  40. ^ Maclear, George Frederick (1883). The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist. London: Macmillan and Co. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  41. ^ Curteis, George Herbert (1885). The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief. London: Macmillan and Co. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
  42. ^ Bonney, T. G. (1891). Old Truths in Modern Lights, with Other Sermons. New York: James Pott and Co. ISBN 0-8370-2412-9.
  43. ^ Bonney, T. G. (1892). Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought. London: Longmans, Green and Co.
  44. ^ Newbolt, William Charles Edmund (1896). The Gospel of Experience Or the Witness of Human Life to the Truth of Revelation. London, New York and Bombay: Longmans, Green & Co.
  45. ^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1912). "Benham, William" . Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  46. ^ Knowling, Richard John (1905). The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects. London: Hodder and Stoughton.
  47. ^ Schaff, P. & Herzog J. J., New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume VI, Innocents - Liudger, pp. 360–61 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
  48. ^ Macdonald, A (1938). God, creation and revelation. London: John Heritage the Unicorn Press. OCLC 21108337.
  49. ^ "The Boyle Lecture 2019". YouTube.
  50. ^ "The Boyle Lecture 2020". YouTube.
  51. ^ "ISSR 2021 Boyle Lecture by Prof Tom McLeish and Response by Rt Revd & Rt Hon Lord Rowan Williams". YouTube.
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