Robert Barclay (Quaker)

Robert Barclay (born December 23, 1648 in Gordonstown , Morayshire , † October 3, 1690 in Ury House near Aberdeen ) was a Quaker , theologian and next to George Fox , Margaret Fell and William Penn one of the most important figures of early Quakerism .

Life

His upbringing was initially strongly Calvinist . He studied at the Collegium Scotorum in Paris until 1664 , where he came under Roman Catholic influence. In 1667 he joined the Quakers, like his father a year earlier.

On his father's country estate Ury in northern Scotland , he devoted himself to private studies and wrote his writings. He made a number of trips. In 1676 he made his first trip to Germany via Holland . Here he came into personal contact with Countess Palatine Elisabeth , the abbess of Herford . She even allowed Quaker worship in her abbey and actively campaigned for their tolerance to the King of England. In 1677 he traveled again with William Penn and George Fox for missionary purposes.

Barclay, who spent five months in prison, had influence at the court of James II and used it for the Quakers.

Barclay was of great value to the then young Quaker movement because it was the first time that he erected and formulated a self-contained theological building. His works were, on the one hand, the foundation for a uniform Quaker identity and, on the other hand, a defensive writing to the outside world and, last but not least, a missionary writing that should convince. The apology, strongly influenced by the cabbalistic mysticism of George Keith (1638–1716), was long considered the main work of the Quakers.

No images are known of Barclay.

Works

• Truth cleared of Calumny , Amsterdam 1670
• An Apology for the true Christian Divinity, as the same is held forth and preached by the people called, in scorn, Quakers; being a full Explanation and Vindication of their Principles and Doctrines, by many Arguments deduced from Scripture and right reason, and the testimonies of famous Authors, both ancient and modern, with a full Answer to the strongest Objections usually made against them; presented to the King; written and published, in Latin, for the information of Strangers, by Robert Barclay; and now put into our own Language, for the benefit of his Countrymen , 1678
  • Translations into German
    • An apology or defensive pamphlet of the right Christian scholarship to God, such as those among those people who are mockingly behaved, held and taught in English and German (as many of them are still un-German) Quaker. Or a complete explanation and defense of the same of their reasons and doctrines, by various from which H. writings, common sense, and the testimony of some representations drawn in those old times as famous men. Besides a pleasant answer to the sharpest opposites, as commonly used against them. Presented to the King of Great Britain, Carl the Other . Written and edited by Robert Barclay for foreigners in Latin, but afterwards, for the benefit of his compatriots, in English, and now both translated into German. With two letters to the An. Ambassadors gathered in Nijmegen in 1677 . Printed in 1684 - Digitized via Göttingen Digitization Center , via Google Books
    • Robert Barclays Apology. Or defense scriptures of true Christian truth about God. How such among the people, if one out of mockery Quaker, that is, calls tremors, is recited and taught. […] Anjetzo after the second Latin and ninth English edition completely translated from new into German, Germantown: Printed by Christoph Saur the Younger, 1776 - digitized via national license or campus network
• A catechism and confession of faith , 1673
• Universal love considered and established upon its right foundation , 1677

literature

• Claus Bernet :  Robert Barclay (Quaker). In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 1, Bautz, Hamm 1975. 2nd, unchanged edition Hamm 1990, ISBN 3-88309-013-1 , Sp. 367-368.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Here is a list of English-language editions that appeared between 1776 and 2002.