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A Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke was originally published in 1689. Its initial publication was in Latin, though it was immediately translated into other languages. In this "letter" addressed to an anonymous "Honored Sir" (actually Locke's close friend Philip von Limborch, who published it without Locke's knowledge) Locke argues for a new understanding of the relationship between religion and government. One of the founders of Empiricism, Locke develops a philosophy that is contrary to the one expressed by Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan, primarily because it supports toleration for various Christian denominations. Locke's work appeared amidst a fear that Catholicism might be taking over England, and responds to the problem of religion and government by proposing toleration as the answer. This article is about John Locke, the English philosopher. ...
Events Louis XIV of France passed the Code Noir, allowing the full use of slaves in the French colonies. ...
Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...
In philosophy generally, empiricism is a theory of knowledge emphasizing the role of experience. ...
For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ...
Hobbes redirects here. ...
Frontispiece of Leviathan, etching by Abraham Bosse, with input from Hobbes For other uses, see Leviathan (disambiguation). ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Freedom of religion. ...
Christians believe that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:6). ...
As a Christian ecclesiastical term, Catholic - from the Greek adjective , meaning general or universal[1] - is described in the Oxford English Dictionary as follows: ~Church, (originally) whole body of Christians; ~, belonging to or in accord with (a) this, (b) the church before separation into Greek or Eastern and Latin or...
Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification - by Athelstan AD 927 Area - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK) 50,346 sq mi Population - 2006 est. ...
Unlike Hobbes, who saw uniformity of religion as the key to a well-functioning civil society, Locke argues that more religious groups actually prevent civil unrest. Locke argues that civil unrest results from confrontations caused by any magistrate's attempt to prevent different religions from being practiced, rather than tolerating their proliferation. Locke's primary goal is to "distinguish exactly the business of civil government from that of religion." He makes use of extensive argument from analogy to accomplish his goal, and relies on several key points. The thing that he wants to persuade the reader of is that government is instituted to promote external interests, relating to life, liberty, and the general welfare, while the church exists to promote internal interests, i.e., salvation. The two serve separate functions, and so, must be considered to be separate institutions.
For Locke, the only way a Church can gain genuine converts is through persuasion and not through violence. This relates to his central conclusion, namely, that the government should not involve itself in care of souls. In support of this argument he presents three main reasons: (1) individuals, according to Locke, cannot divest control over their souls to secular forces, as God does not appoint the magistrate; (2) force cannot create the change necessary for salvation, because while it can coerce obedience, it cannot change one's beliefs; and (3) even if coercion could persuade someone of a notion, God does not coerce people against their will.
Locke argued that atheists should not be tolerated because 'Promises, covenants, and oaths, which are the bonds of human society, can have no hold upon an atheist'. The Roman Catholic Church can not be tolerated, according to Locke, because 'all those who enter into it do thereby ipso facto deliver themselves up to the protection and service of another prince'. If this Church was tolerated a magistrate would have to abide by the settling of a 'foreign jurisdiction' in his own country and see its followers 'listed, as it were, for soldiers against his own Government'. For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ...
The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...
A magistrate is a judicial officer. ...
For the American magazine, see Foreign Policy. ...
In law, jurisdiction (from the Latin jus, juris meaning law and dicere meaning to speak) is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area...
Toleration is central to Locke's political philosophy. Consequently, only churches that teach toleration are to be allowed in his society. Locke’s view on the difficulty of knowing the one true religion may suggest that religion is not personally important to Locke. After all, he is a British empiricist who takes practical considerations into account, such as how the peace of civil society will be affected by religious toleration. However, a closer reading of the text reveals that Locke relies on Biblical analysis at several key points in his argument, as does study of his spiritual life, mainly influenced by Deism. Toleration is an individual and collective attitude and a practice of allowing people to be and act differently from oneself or ones group. ...
This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress. ...
Deism is a religious philosophy and movement that became prominent in England, France, and the United States in the 17th and 18th centuries. ...
Critiques
The essayist Jonas Proast took issue with Locke's claim that the use of force cannot be used for the purposes of saving souls. He agreed that salvation could only occur through the use of reasoned argument; but he noted that people are often stubborn, use bad reasoning, or simply don't listen to or pay attention to the appropriate theological arguments. In these cases, Proast argued that there is no other way to cause persons to reconsider their perspectives than by force. Further, he argued that, since the state has the monopoly on the legitimate use of force, it must be the state who is charged with the duty of forcing the individual to listen to theological argument, and not the church.
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