Balthasar Bekker
Balthasar Bekker (20 March 1634 – 11 June 1698) was a Dutch minister and author of philosophical and theological works. Opposing superstition, he was a key figure in the end of the witchcraft persecutions in early modern Europe. His best known work is De Betoverde Weereld (1691), or The World Bewitched (1695).
Life
Bekker was born in
From 1679 he worked in
Works
An enthusiastic disciple of Descartes, he wrote several works on philosophy and theology, which by their freedom of thought aroused considerable hostility.[2] In his book De Philosophia Cartesiana Bekker argued that theology and philosophy each had their separate terrain and that Nature can no more be explained through Scripture than can theological truth be deduced from Nature.[3]
His application of Cartesian metaphysics and reproach of Biblical literalism put him at odds with the Dutch Reformed Church.[4]
His best known work was De Betoverde Weereld (1691), or The World Bewitched (1695), in which he examined critically the phenomena generally ascribed to spiritual agency. He attacked the belief in sorcery and
The publication of the book led to Bekker's deposition from the ministry. The orthodox among Dutch theologians saw his views as placing him among notorious atheists: Thomas Hobbes, Adriaan Koerbagh, Lodewijk Meyer and Baruch Spinoza. Eric Walten came to his defence, attacking his opponents in extreme terms.[8] Bekker was tried for blasphemy, maligning the public Church, and spreading atheistic ideas about Scripture. Some towns banned the book, but Amsterdam and the States of Holland never did, continuing his salary, without formally stripping him of his post.[9]
The World Bewitched is now considered interesting as an early study in comparative religion.[2][10]
Later life
In July 1698 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.[12] He died in Amsterdam.[2]
Selected publications
- De philosophia Cartesiana admonitio candida & sincera. Bekker, Balth. / Vesaliae / 1668
- The world bewitch'd; or, An examination of the common opinions concerning spirits: their nature, power, administration, and operations. As also, the effects men are able to produce by their communication. Divided into IV parts; Bekker, Balthasar / Translated from a French copy, approved of and subscribed by the author's own hand / printed for R. Baldwin in Warwick-lane / 1695
Notes
- ^ Bekker, Balthasar (1998) Beschrijving van de reis door de Verenigde Nederlanden, Engeland en Frankrijk in het jaar 1683. Fryske Akademy.
- ^ a b c d Chisholm 1911, p. 661.
- ^ Israel 1995, p. 895.
- OCLC 41924750– via Open WorldCat.
- ^ Wiep van Bunge et al. (editors), The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers (2003), Thoemmes Press (two volumes), article Bekker, Balthasar, p. 74–7.
- ^ Barker, Charles H. (9 September 2022). "The legacies of Calvinism in the Dutch empire". Aeon. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
- ^ Israel 1995, p. 925.
- ^ Wiep van Bunge et al. (editors), The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers (2003), Thoemmes Press (two volumes), article Walten, Eric, p. 1065–8.
- ^ Israel 1995, p. 930.
- ^ Nooijen, Annemarie (2009) "Unserm grossen Bekker ein Denkmal?" Balthasar Bekkers 'Betoverde Weereld' in den deutschen Landen zwischen Orthodoxie und Aufklärung
- ISBN 9789004272620.
- ^ "Library and Archive Catalogue". Royal Society. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
References
- Israel, Jonathan I.(1995), The Dutch Republic. Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall, 1477–1806
Attribution
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Bekker, Balthasar", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 3 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 661 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
Further reading
- Evenhuis, R. B. (1971), Ook dat was Amsterdam, deel III. De kerk der hervorming in de tweede helft van de zeventiende eeuw: nabloei en inzinking (in Dutch), pp. 258–305
External links
- Ten portraits of Balthasar Bekker
- Voltaire, The Works of Voltaire, Vol. III (Philosophical Dictionary Part 1) [1764] chapter on Bekker