The Religious Origins of the Enlightenment

FAIN: FB-10456-70

David L. Clark
Hope College (Holland, MI 49423-3663)

ABSTRACT: Study of religious origins of the Enlightenment with particular emphasis on Socinian writings and thinkers. Concentration on Marcoatonio de Dominis, who was successively Roman Catholic Archbishop of Spalato, participant in the Venetian oppostition to the Counter-Reformation papacy, convert to Anglicism and polemicist in the court of King James I. Fellow to investigate relationship between the rationalism implicit in de Dominis' theories about church and state organization and his scientific accomplishments. Argues that Socinianism, with its emphasis on rationalism, more than the Protestant ethic of Calvinism, paved the way for the Enlightenment. Fellow did previous work on de Dominis' impact on the religious policies of James I and is currently helping to prepare a critical edition of de Dominis' works. Study require access to manuscripts in England (Oxford), Venice, Rome and Yugoslavia.