Balthasar bekker biography

Balthasar Bekker

Dutch minister and author

Balthasar Bekker (20 March – 11 June ) was a Dutch minister and author of philosophical and theological works.

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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 (), or The World Bewitched ().

Life

Bekker was born in Metslawier (Dongeradeel) as the son of a German pastor from Bielefeld.

He was educated at Groningen, under Jacob Alting, and at Franeker.

Balthasar Bekker 20 March — 11 June was a Dutch minister and author of philosophical and theological works. Opposing superstitionhe was a key figure in the end of the witchcraft persecutions in early modern Europe. Bekker was born in Metslawier Dongeradeel as the son of a German pastor from Bielefeld. He was educated at Groningenunder Jacob Alting, and at Franeker.

Becoming the rector of the local Latin school, he was appointed to his satisfaction in as a pastor in Oosterlittens (Littenseradiel), and started as one of the first to preach on Sunday afternoon.

From he worked in Amsterdam, after being driven from Friesland.

In he travelled to England and France. In two months time Bekker visited London, Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and Leuven, with a great interest in the art of fortification.[1]

Works

An enthusiastic disciple of Descartes, he wrote several works on philosophy and theology, which by their freedom of thought aroused considerable hostility.

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.

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 (), or The World Bewitched (), in which he examined critically the phenomena generally ascribed to spiritual agency.

Balthasar Bekker 20 March — 11 June was a Dutch minister and author of philosophical and theological works. Opposing superstitionhe was a key figure in the end of the witchcraft persecutions in early modern Europe. Bekker was born in Metslawier Dongeradeel as the son of a German pastor from Bielefeld. He was educated at Groningenunder Jacob Altingand at Franeker.

He attacked the belief in sorcery and "possession" by the devil. Indeed, he questioned the devil's very existence. He applied the doctrine of accommodation to account for the biblical passages traditionally cited on the issue.[5] Bekker argued that practices decried as witchcraft were little more than fatuous but harmless superstitions.[6] The book had a sensational impact and was one of the key works of the First Enlightenment in Europe.

It was almost certainly the most controversial.

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 highest 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.

The World Bewitched is now considered interesting as an early learn in comparative religion.[10]

Margaret Jacob coined the term "Radical Enlightment" with regards to Bekker, the brothers Johan and Pieter de la Court, and Baruch de Spinoza, that affirmed the equality of all men based on their common reason.

The definition was subsequently popularized by Jonathan Israel. Jacob defined them as "pantheist, freemasons and repubblicana" characterized by a Radical criticism of religion that "anticipated Dutch 'Patriots' and Enlightment philosophers in the sdelayed eighteenth century "[11]

Later life

In July he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London.[12] He died in Amsterdam.

Selected publications

  • De philosophia Cartesiana admonitio candida & sincera.

    Bekker, Balth. / Vesaliae /

  • 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 /

Notes

  1. ^Bekker, Balthasar () Beschrijving van de reis door de Verenigde Nederlanden, Engeland en Frankrijk in het jaar .

    Fryske Akademy.

  2. ^Fix, Andrew C (25 December ).

    Bekker was born in the Frisian village of Metslawier, the son of a Calvinist minister. After completing his studies in Groningen and Franeker, he From: Bekker, Balthasar in Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment ». View all related items in Oxford Reference ».

    Fallen angels: Balthasar Bekker, spirit belief, and confessionalism in the seventeenth century Dutch Republic. Kluwer. OCLC&#; &#; via Open WorldCat.

  3. ^Wiep van Bunge et al. (editors), The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers (), Thoemmes Press (two volumes), article Bekker, Balthasar, p.

    Balthasar Bekker (20 March – 11 June ) 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 up-to-date Europe. Read more on Wikipedia.

    74–7.

  4. ^Barker, Charles H. (9 September ). "The legacies of Calvinism in the Dutch empire". Aeon. Retrieved 20 October
  5. ^Wiep van Bunge et al.

    Balthasar Bekker - Encyclopedia: Balthasar Bekker (20 March – 11 June ) 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 (), or The World Bewitched ().

    (editors), The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers (), Thoemmes Apply pressure (two volumes), article Walten, Eric, p. –8.

  6. ^Nooijen, Annemarie () "Unserm grossen Bekker ein Denkmal?" Balthasar Bekkers 'Betoverde Weereld' in den deutschen Landen zwischen Orthodoxie und Aufklärung
  7. ^M.C.

    Jacob, The Radical Enlightment: Pantheists, Freemasons and Republicans (London and Boston: Allen & Unwin, ); J.I. Israel, Radical Enlightment: Philosophy and the Making of Modernità, (Oxford and Unused York: Oxford University Press, ).

    As quotes by Markus Vink (). Encounters on the Reverse Coast: The Dutch East India Company and the Nayaka Declare of Madurai in the Seventeenth Century. Brill.

    BALTHASAR BEKKER (), Dutch divine, was born in Friesland in , and educated at Groningen, under Jacob Alting, and at Franeker. He was pastor at Franeker, and from , at Amsterdam.

    p.&#; ISBN&#;.

  8. ^"Library and Archive Catalogue". Royal Community. Retrieved 12 December

References

Attribution

Further reading

  • Evenhuis, R. B. (), Ook dat was Amsterdam, deel III.

    De kerk der hervorming in de tweede helft van de zeventiende eeuw: nabloei en inzinking (in Dutch), pp.&#;–

External links