James Nayler

James Nayler (or Naylor) (* 1618 in Ardsley , South Yorkshire , † 1660 ) was an English Quaker .

Undated portrait

Life

Nayler was born in the town of Ardsley in South Yorkshire . He is known today primarily through the conflicts with George Fox , the (from today's perspective) founder of Quakerism. On the one hand, the cause was that James Nayler's (mostly female) supporters were agitating against George Fox and he did not stop it. On the other hand, Fox accused Nayler of arrogance. The open break occurred in the autumn of 1656, when Nayler, despite Cromwell's request to be lenient, was convicted of blasphemy by the House of Commons , mistreated and imprisoned after he was called "Lord God of Israel" by his followers on entry into Bristol Second coming of Christ). In the years that followed, he regretted what had happened and defended himself by stating that he had never claimed to be the Messiah, only that Jesus was in him. He denied the “divine guidance” with which he had previously justified himself after his conviction. He has sought reconciliation with Fox since his imprisonment. This finally came about in 1659 through the efforts of William Dewsbury . James Nayler passed away only a short time later.

literature

• Claus Bernet :  James Nayler. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 20, Bautz, Nordhausen 2002, ISBN 3-88309-091-3 , Sp. 1069-1092.
• John Lamps: Wait in the Light: The Religious Experience of George Fox . Edition 1981, ISBN 3-929696-06-1

Web links

• Works by Nayler (English)