Clarke, Samuel

CLARKE, SAMUEL. - Anglican theologian and philosopher, b. in Norwich on 11 Oct. 1675, d. in London on 17 May 1729. His writings were edited by Hoadly, The Works of S. Clarke, 4 vols. in folio (London 1738 ff.). An Anglican minister, C. considered it his mission to bring the Church of England back to the austerity of the early days of Christianity, and to this end he published various works which, along with his fame, earned him the invitation to deliver the Boyle Lectures at St. Paul's in London in 1704-1705.

In 1704 he dealt with the existence and attributes of God (A discourse concerning the Being and Attributes of God [Works, II]); in 1705 he developed his favorite theme: the obligations of the natural law and the certainty of revealed religion (The obligations of natural religion, and the truth and certainty of the Christian Revelation [ibid.]). In 1712 he published Scripture doctrine of the Trinity [Works, IV]. This writing, which caused a great stir in England and brought about a trial for C., maintains such a subordination of the Second and Third persons of the Most Holy Trinity with regard to the Father that the name of God would be fitting for the Father alone. C.'s correspondence with Leibniz (ibid., p. 575 ff.) also had notable resonance, in which he defends, among other things, the Newtonian concept of divine concurrence and providence against the German philosopher's pre-established harmony.