The Boyle Lectures are named after

Robert Boyle Robert Boyle (; 25 January 1627 – 31 December 1691) was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, Alchemy, alchemist and inventor. Boyle is largely regarded today as the first modern chemist, and therefore one of the foun ...

, a prominent

natural philosopher Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe, while ignoring any supernatural influence. It was dominant before the developme ...

of the 17th century and son of

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (13 October 1566 – 15 September 1643), also known as 'the Great Earl of Cork', was an English politician who served as Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland. Lord Cork was an important figure in the continu ...

. 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 Richard Bentley FRS (; 27 January 1662 – 14 July 1742) was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. Considered the "founder of historical philology", Bentley is widely credited with establishing the English school of Hellenis ...

, to whom

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton () was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment that followed ...

had written: The early lecturers were specifically charged to prove the truth of the

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

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 Thomas Tenison (29 September 163614 December 1715) was an English church leader, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1694 until his death. During his primacy, he crowned two British monarchs. Life He was born at Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, the son a ...

(later

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

) 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 Wrens are a family, Troglodytidae, of small brown passerine birds. The family includes 96 species and is divided into 19 genera. All species are restricted to the New World except for the Eurasian wren that is widely distributed in the Old Worl ...

church of

St Mary-le-Bow The Church of St Mary-le-Bow () is a Church of England parish church in the City of London, England. Located on Cheapside, one of the city's oldest thoroughfares, the church was founded in 1080, by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. Rebuilt s ...

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 The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 111 livery companies of the City of London, ranking second in order of precedence. Established in 1345 for merchants engaged in the grocery trade, it is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Compa ...

and the

Worshipful Company of Mercers The Mercers' Company, or the Worshipful Company of Mercers, is a livery company of the City of London in the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies. Mercer comes from the Latin for merch ...

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 The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 111 livery companies of the City of London, ranking second in order of precedence. Established in 1345 for merchants engaged in the grocery trade, it is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Compan ...

; 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

(titles might be trimmed) * 1693-94 - ''A Demonstration of the Messias, in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews'', by

Richard Kidder Richard Kidder (1633 – 26 November 1703) was an English Anglican churchman, Bishop of Bath and Wells, from 1691 to his death. He was a noted theologian. Biography He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was a sizar, from 16 ...

* 1694 - itle Unknown by Richard Bentley * 1695 - ''The Possibility, Expediency and Necessity of Divine Revelation'', by

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (November 15, 2022)Classic Connection review, ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

* 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 The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York. The diocese extends across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the ...

) * 1698 - ''The Atheistical Objections against the Being of God and His Attributes fairly considered and fully refuted'', by John Harris * 1699 - ''The Credibility of the Christian Revelation, from its intrinsick Evidence'', by Samuel Bradford (

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester, Kent, Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Rochester Cathedral, Cathedral Chur ...

) * 1700 - ''The Sufficiency of a Standing Revelation'', by Offspring Blackall ; 18th century * 1701–02 - ''Truth and Excellency of the Christian Religion'', by George Stanhope * 1703 - Adams * 1704 - ''A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God'', by

Samuel Clarke Samuel Clarke (11 October 1675 – 17 May 1729) was an English philosopher and Anglican cleric. He is considered the major British figure in philosophy between John Locke and George Berkeley. Clarke's altered, Nontrinitarian revision of the 1 ...

* 1705 - ''The Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion'', by Samuel Clarke * 1706 - ''Arguments to Prove the Being of a God'', by John Hancock * 1707 - ''The Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies'', by

William Whiston William Whiston (9 December 166722 August 1752) was an English theologian, historian, natural philosopher, and mathematician, a leading figure in the popularisation of the ideas of Isaac Newton. He is now probably best known for helping to inst ...

* 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 * 1709 - ''Religion no Matter of Shame'', by Lilly Butler * 1710 - ''The Divine Original and Excellence of the Christian Religion'', by Josiah Woodward * 1711–12 -
Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation
', by

William Derham William Derham FRS (26 November 16575 April 1735)Smolenaars, Marja.Derham, William (1657–1735), ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004. Accessed 26 May 2007. was an English clergyman, natural theologian, n ...

* 1713–14 - ''On the Exercise of Private Judgment, or Free-Thinking'', by Benjamin Ibbot * 1717–18 - ''Natural Obligations to Believe the Principles of Religion and Divine Revelation'', by John Leng * 1719 -
An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil
', by John Clarke * 1720 - ''On the Origin of Evil'', by John Clarke * 1721 - ''The pretended Difficulties in Natural or Revealed Religion, no Excuse for Infidelity'', by Robert Gurdon * 1724–25 - ''A Demonstration of True Religion, in a Chain of Consequences from certain and undeniable Principles'', by Thomas Burnett * 1725–28 - John Denne * 1730–32 - ''The Gradual Revelation of the Gospel from the time of Man's Apostacy'', by William Berriman * 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 * 1739–41 - Leonard Twells * 1747–49 - ''Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists'', by Henry Stebbing * 1750–52 - John Jortin * 1756–58 - Thomas Newton * 1759–62 - Charles Moss * 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 * 1778–80 -
An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind
', by James Williamson ; 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 * 1812 - William Van Mildert * 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 John Frederick Denison Maurice (29 August 1805 – 1 April 1872), commonly known as F. D. Maurice, was an English Anglican priest and theologian. He was a prolific author and one of the founders of Christian socialism. Since the Second World War ...

* 1854 -

Christopher Wordsworth Christopher Wordsworth (30 October 180720 March 1885) was an English intellectual and a bishop of the Church of England. Life Wordsworth was born in London, the youngest son of Christopher Wordsworth (divine), Christopher Wordsworth, Master ...

* 1857 - ''Eight discourses on the miracles'', by

William Gilson Humphry William Gilson Humphry (1815–1886) was an English clergyman and academic. Life Humphry was born at Sudbury, Suffolk, on 30 January 1815, son of William Wood Humphry, barrister-at-law, and brother of George Murray Humphry. Humphry was educated ...

* 1861 -
The Bible and its Critics: an Enquiry into the Objective Reality of Revealed Truths
', by Edward Garbett * 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 Charles Merivale (8 March 1808 – 27 December 1893) was an English historian and churchman, for many years dean of Ely Cathedral. He was one of the main instigators of the The Boat Race, inaugural Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race which took p ...

* 1865 - ''The Conversion of the Northern Nations'', by

* 1866–67 - ''Christ and Christendom'', by

Edward Hayes Plumptre Edward Hayes Plumptre (6 August 1821 – 1 February 1891) was an English divine and scholar born in London. Life He was born on 6 August 1821, being the son of Edward Hallows Plumptre, a London solicitor. Charles John Plumptre was his brother ...

* 1868 -
The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ
', by Stanley Leathes * 1869 -
The Witness of St. Paul to Christ
', by Stanley Leathes * 1870 - ''The Witness of St. John to Christ'', by Stanley Leathes * 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 * 1876 - ''What is Natural Theology?'', by Alfred Barry * 1877–78 - ''The Manifold Witness for Christ'', by Alfred Barry * 1879–80 -
The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist
', by

George Frederick Maclear George Frederick Maclear (3 February 1833 in Bedford - 19 October 1902 at St Augustine's College, Canterbury) was an English clergyman, theological writer and headmaster at King's College School, London (later Wimbledon). He was the eldest son o ...

* 1884 -
The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief
', by George Herbert Curteis * 1890 -
Old Truths in Modern Lights
' (''The Present Conflict of Science and Theology''), by T. G. Bonney * 1891 -
Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought
', by T. G. Bonney * 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 * 1897 - William Benham ; 20th century * 1903–05 -
The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects
', by Richard John Knowling * 1935–36 - ''God, Creation and Revelation'', by Allen John MacDonald * 1965 -
The Christian Universe
', by Eric Mascall ; 21st century * 2004 -
Darwin, Design, and the Promise of Nature
', by John F. Haught, with a response by Richard Chartres * 2005 -
Darwin's Compass: How Evolution Discovers the Song of Creation
', by

Simon Conway Morris Simon Conway Morris (born 1951) is an English palaeontologist, evolutionary biologist, and astrobiologist known for his study of the fossils of the Burgess Shale and the Cambrian explosion. The results of these discoveries were celebrated ...

, 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 * 2007
''Cosmology of Ultimate Concern''
by John D Barrow, with a response by

Martin Rees Martin John Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow, * 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 response from Professor Fiona Ellis, Professor of Philosophy, and Director of the Centre for Practical Philosophy, Theology, and Religion at the University of Roehampton, London.

References

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External links

Boyle, Robert, and the Boyle Lectures
in

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, Vol. II (

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) Christian theological lectures Lectures on religion and science Philosophy events 1692 establishments in England Recurring events established in 1692