Boyle Lectures Explained

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

Early lectures

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

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.

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. 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.

Revival

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

17th century

• 1692 – A Confutation of Atheism, by Richard Bentley^{[1] [2] [3]}
• 1693-94 - A Demonstration of the Messias, in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews, by Richard Kidder^{[4] [5]}
• 1694 - [Title Unknown], by Richard Bentley^[6]
• 1695 - The Possibility, Expediency and Necessity of Divine Revelation, by John Williams^{[4] [7] [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 (Bishop of Chester)^[4]
• 1698 - The Atheistical Objections against the Being of God and His Attributes fairly considered and fully refuted, by John Harris^{[4] [9] [10]}
• 1699 - The Credibility of the Christian Revelation, from its intrinsick Evidence, by Samuel Bradford (Bishop of Rochester)^[11]
• 1700 - The Sufficiency of a Standing Revelation, by Offspring Blackall^[4]

18th century

• 1701–02 - Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion, by George Stanhope^[4]
• 1703 - Adams
• 1704 - A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, by Samuel Clarke^{[4] [12] [13]}
• 1705 - The Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion, by Samuel Clarke
• 1706 - Arguments to Prove the Being of a God, by John Hancock^[4]
• 1707 - The Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies, by William Whiston^[4]
• 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^[4]
• 1709 - Religion no Matter of Shame, by Lilly Butler^[4]
• 1710 - The Divine Original and Excellence of the Christian Religion, by Josiah Woodward^[4]
• 1711–12 - Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation, by William Derham^{[4] [14]}
• 1713–14 - On the Exercise of Private Judgment, or Free-Thinking, by Benjamin Ibbot^[4]
• 1717–18 - Natural Obligations to Believe the Principles of Religion and Divine Revelation, by John Leng^[4]
• 1719 - An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil, by John Clarke^{[4] [15]}
• 1720 - On the Origin of Evil, by John Clarke^[16]
• 1721 - The pretended Difficulties in Natural or Revealed Religion, no Excuse for Infidelity, by Robert Gurdon^[4]
• 1724–25 - A Demonstration of True Religion, in a Chain of Consequences from certain and undeniable Principles, by Thomas Burnett^{[4] [17]}
• 1725–28 - John Denne^[18]
• 1730–32 - The Gradual Revelation of the Gospel from the time of Man's Apostacy, by William Berriman^[4]
• 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^[19]
• 1739–41 - Leonard Twells^[20]
• 1747–49 - Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists, by Henry Stebbing^[21]
• 1750–52 - John Jortin
• 1756–58 - Thomas Newton^{[22] [23]}
• 1759–62 - Charles Moss^[24]
• 1763 - A Discourse upon the Being of God against Atheists, by Ralph Heathcote
• 1766–68 - The Evidence of Christianity deduced from Facts and the Testimony of Senses throughout all Ages of the Church to the present time, by William Worthington
• 1769–71 - The Intent and Propriety of the Scripture Miracles considered and explained, by Henry Owen^[25]
• 1778–80 - An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind, by James Williamson^[26]

19th century

• 1802–05 - An Historical View of the Rise and Progress of Infidelity, with a Refutation of its Principles and Reasonings, by William Van Mildert^[27]
• 1812 - William Van Mildert^[11]
• 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
• 1857 - Eight discourses on the miracles, by William Gilson Humphry^[28]
• 1861 - The Bible and its Critics: an Enquiry into the Objective Reality of Revealed Truths, by Edward Garbett^{[29] [30]}
• 1862 - The Conflict between Science and Infidelity, by Edward Garbett
• 1863 - The Divine Plan of Revelation, 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^[31]
• 1868 - The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ, by Stanley Leathes^{[27] [32]}
• 1869 - The Witness of St. Paul to Christ, by Stanley Leathes^{[27] [33]}
• 1870 - The Witness of St. John to Christ, by Stanley Leathes^{[27] [34]}
• 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^[35]
• 1876 - What is Natural Theology?, by Alfred Barry^[36]
• 1877–78 - The Manifold Witness for Christ, by Alfred Barry^[36]
• 1879–80 - The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist, by George Frederick Maclear^[37]
• 1884 - The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief, by George Herbert Curteis^[38]
• 1890 - Old Truths in Modern Lights (The Present Conflict of Science and Theology), by T. G. Bonney^[39]
• 1891 - Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought, by T. G. Bonney^[40]
• 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^[41]
• 1897 - William Benham^[42]

20th century

• 1903–05 - The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects, by Richard John Knowling^{[43] [44]}
• 1935–36 - God, Creation and Revelation, by Allen John MacDonald^[45]
• 1965 - The Christian Universe, by Eric Mascall

21st century

• 2004 - Darwin, Design, and the Promise of Nature, by John F. Haught,^[11] with a response by Richard Chartres
• 2005 - Darwin's Compass: How Evolution Discovers the Song of Creation, by Simon Conway Morris,^[11] with a response by Keith Ward
• 2006 - The Emergence of Spirit: From Complexity to Anthropology to Theology, by Philip Clayton, with a response by Niels Gregersen^[11]
• 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^[46]
• 2020 - Mental Health and the Gospel, by Christopher Cook, with a response by Fraser Watts^[47]
• 2021 - The Rediscovery of Contemplation Through Science, by Tom McLeish, with a response by Rowan Williams^[48]

• 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 The Very Revd Professor David Fergusson, OBE, FRSE, FBA, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle, with respone from Professor Fiona Ellis, Professor of Philosophy, and Director of the Centre for Practical Philosophy, Theology, and Religion at the University of Roehampton, London.

External links

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

Notes and References

1. Book: J. H. Parker's Divinity Catalogue . 1837 . Oxford . 39 . 0-524-00298-3. (Firm) . John Henry Parker . (titles might be trimmed)
2. Book: Bentley, Richard . Eight Boyle Lectures on Atheism . registration . Garland . 1976 . 978-0-8240-1752-1 . New York.
3. Separate first editions of lectures #2–8: Book: Bentley, Richard . Matter and Motion Cannot Think, Or A Confutation of Atheism from the Faculties of the Soul . T. Parkhurst and H. Mortlock . 1692 . London . 2008-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050510162556/http://dewey.library.upenn.edu/sceti/printedbooksNew/index.cfm?textID=bentley1&PagePosition=1 . 2005-05-10 . Book: A Confutation of Atheism from the Structure and Origin of Humane Bodies . London . 1692 . 2008-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070612042838/http://dewey.library.upenn.edu/sceti/printedbooksNew/index.cfm?textID=bentley2&PagePosition=1 . 2007-06-12 . Book: A Confutation of Atheism from the Origin and Frame of the World . London . 1693 . 2008-09-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070612043055/http://dewey.library.upenn.edu/sceti/printedbooksNew/index.cfm?textID=bentley3&PagePosition=1 . 2007-06-12 .

   The eight lectures, from 1735 edition, reprinted Book: Alexander Dyce . Alexander Dyce . London . Francis Macpherson . 1838 . The Works of Richard Bentley, Vol. 3 .

   First full edition, in html

4. Book: 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 . Burnet, Gilbert . 978-1-85506-813-1 . Bristol . Thoemmes . 2000.
5. Book: Horne, Thomas Hartwell . A Catalogue of the Library of the College of St. Margaret and St. Bernard: Commonly Called Queen's College, in the University of Cambridge . Thomas Hartwell Horne . S. and R. Bentley . London . 1827 . 301–304.
6. Book: Monk, James Henry. The life of Richard Bentley, with an account of his writings and anecdotes of many distinguished characters during the period in which he flourished. 1833. London : Printed for J. G. & F. Rivington. University of California Libraries.
7. Williams, J., Five Sermons at the Boyle Lectures
8. Book: Williams, John. Printed for Ric. Chitwell ... and Tho. Cockerill .... [A collection of eight sermons preached in defense of the Christian religion, called the "Boyle lectures", 1694-1696].. London. 1695 . 26374055.
9. Web site: Aliens and Atheists: The Plurality of Worlds and Natural Theology in Seventeenth-Century England . https://archive.today/20120709095807/http://digital.library.unt.edu/permalink/meta-dc-5134:1 . 2012-07-09 . Oliver . Ryan . December 2007 . 66 . 2008-09-09 .
10. Harris, John . 04 . 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..
11. Web site: St Mary le Bow Church, London - Boyle Lectures . 2008-09-04.
12. Book: 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 . Samuel Clarke . 2008-09-06 . 1823.
13. Clarke, Samuel . 06 . 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..
14. Book: Derham, William . Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation . William Derham . London . W. and J. Innys . 1720. fifth . 2008-11-02 . 0-405-10383-2.
15. Book: Clarke, John . 1720 . London . James Knapton . An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil . 2008-09-18.
16. http://www.ilab.org/db/detail.php?booknr=350617182{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
17. Book: Burnett, Thomas . 1726 . London . Arthur Betyesworth . 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 . Vol. 1; Vol. 2
18. Denne, John. 14.
19. Book: Biscoe, Richard . 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 . 1840 . 2008-11-02 . 0-548-70278-0.
20. Book: Twells, Leonard. 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 . 1743 ., Vol. 1; Vol. 2
21. Book: Stebbing, Henry . Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists . 2008-11-02.
22. Book: Newton, Thomas. Dissertations on the prophecies: which have remarkably been fulfilled and at this time are fulfilling in the world. 1. 1808. Berwick. Printed by W. Gracie for J. Rennison [etc.]. 1 November 2010. 257.
23. Book: Popkin, Richard Henry . The Third Force in Seventeenth-century Thought . Prognostics from Nostradamus to Hume . 299 . 978-90-04-09324-9 . BRILL . 1992 . Richard Popkin.
24. [Wikisource:Moss, Charles (DNB00)]
25. Book: Owen, Henry. The Intent and Propriety of the Scripture Miracles considered and explained. 1773. 1-104-31163-1. London. Henry Owen. Vol. 1; Vol. 2
26. Book: Williamson, James . An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind . 1783 . P. Elmsly . 2008-11-03.
27. Book: Hunt, John . John Hunt (theologian) . Religious Thought in England in the Nineteenth Century . 38, 338–342 . 978-1-4212-6545-2. January 1999 . Adegi Graphics LLC .
28. Book: Humphry, William. John W. Parker. 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. 1858. 52633386.
29. The Christian observer . 696–710 . The Christian Observer . 60 . September 1861 . London . Hatchard and Co..
30. Book: Garbett, Edward . The Bible and its critics: an enquiry into the objective reality of revealed truths ___ being the Boyle lectures for MDCCCLXI. Edward Garbett . London . Seeley and Griffiths . 1861 . 978-0-7905-0892-4 .
31. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc09.html?term=Plumptre,%20Edward%20Hayes New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Aachen - Basilians | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
32. Book: Leathes, Stanley . The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ . Stanley Leathes . 2009-10-04 . 1868 . London, Oxford and Cambridge . Rivingtons.
33. Book: Leathes, Stanley . The Witness of St. Paul to Christ . Stanley Leathes . 2009-10-04 . 1869 . London, Oxford and Cambridge . Rivingtons. 0-8370-9713-4.
34. Book: Leathes, Stanley . The Witness of St. John to Christ . Stanley Leathes . 2009-10-04 . 1870 . London, Oxford and Cambridge . Rivingtons. 0-8370-5662-4.
35. Book: Wace, Henry . Christianity and Morality Or the Correspondence of the Gospel with the Moral Nature of Man . Henry Wace (Anglican priest) . Pickering . London . 1882 . Fifth. 0-7905-0410-3.
36. Web site: New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. I: Aachen - Basilians - Christian Classics Ethereal Library. www.ccel.org.
37. Book: Maclear, George Frederick . The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist . London . Macmillan and Co . 1883 . 2008-11-02.
38. Book: Curteis, George Herbert . The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief . London . Macmillan and Co . 1885 . 2008-11-02.
39. Book: Bonney, T. G. . Old Truths in Modern Lights, with Other Sermons . Thomas George Bonney . New York. James Pott and Co . 1891 . 0-8370-2412-9.
40. Book: Bonney, T. G. . Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought . Thomas George Bonney . London . Longmans, Green and Co . 1892.
41. Book: Newbolt, William Charles Edmund . The Gospel of Experience Or the Witness of Human Life to the Truth of Revelation . 1896 . Longmans, Green & Co. . London, New York and Bombay.
42. Benham, William. 1.
43. Book: Knowling, Richard John . The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects . 1905 . London . Hodder and Stoughton.
44. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc06/Page_360.html Schaff, P. & Herzog J. J., New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume VI, Innocents - Liudger, pp. 360–61 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library
45. Book: Macdonald, A. John Heritage the Unicorn Press. God, creation and revelation. London. 1938 . 21108337.
46. Web site: The Boyle Lecture 2019. YouTube.
47. Web site: The Boyle Lecture 2020. YouTube.
48. Web site: ISSR 2021 Boyle Lecture by Prof Tom McLeish and Response by Rt Revd & Rt Hon Lord Rowan Williams. YouTube.