John Biddle (Unitarian)
Encyclopedia
John Biddle or Bidle was an influential English nontrinitarian, and Unitarian
. He is often called "the Father of English Unitarianism".
.The school had links to Gloucester Cathedral
, and since he was obliged to teach his pupils according to the Catechism of the Church of England, he immersed himself in the study of the Bible
. He concluded from his studies that the doctrine of the Trinity
was not supported by the Bible, and set about publishing his own views on the nature of God.
He was imprisoned in Gloucester in 1645 for his views, but released on bail. He was imprisoned again by Parliament in 1646 and, in 1647, while he was still a prisoner, his tract Twelve Arguments Drawn Out of Scripture was published. Henry Vane
defended Biddle in the House of Commons
, and he was released on bail in 1648. After a short while he was again imprisoned, in Newgate
, where he remained until amnestied by the 1652 Act of Oblivion. Biddle and the MP John Fry
, who had tried to aid him, were supported by the 1649 Leveller pamphlet Englands New Chaines Discovered. Biddle was strongly attacked by John Owen
.
In 1654-5 he was again in trouble with Parliament, which ordered his book A Two-fold Catechism seized; Oliver Cromwell
exiled him to the Scilly Isles, out of the jurisdiction of any hostile English Parliaments. He was released in 1658. He was imprisoned once more, and became ill, leading to his death.
A biography of Biddle by Joshua Toulmin
was published in 1789.
He is believed to have translated the Racovian Catechism
into English.
, denied eternal punishment, and translated a mortalist tract. He condemned the Ranters. He affirmed that the Bible was the Word of God and his Christology
appears to be Socinian, denying the pre-existence of Christ
but accepting the virgin birth.
has led to a rediscovery of his work among Christadelphians
and other non-Trinitarian groups in the 1970s and '80s.
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
. He is often called "the Father of English Unitarianism".
Life
Biddle studied at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, taking an M. A. in 1641. At the age of twenty-six, he became headmaster of the Crypt Grammar School, GloucesterGloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
.The school had links to Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
, and since he was obliged to teach his pupils according to the Catechism of the Church of England, he immersed himself in the study of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. He concluded from his studies that the doctrine of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
was not supported by the Bible, and set about publishing his own views on the nature of God.
He was imprisoned in Gloucester in 1645 for his views, but released on bail. He was imprisoned again by Parliament in 1646 and, in 1647, while he was still a prisoner, his tract Twelve Arguments Drawn Out of Scripture was published. Henry Vane
Henry Vane the Younger
Sir Henry Vane , son of Henry Vane the Elder , was an English politician, statesman, and colonial governor...
defended Biddle in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, and he was released on bail in 1648. After a short while he was again imprisoned, in Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
, where he remained until amnestied by the 1652 Act of Oblivion. Biddle and the MP John Fry
John Fry (regicide)
John Fry was a Member of the English Parliament and sat as a Commissioner during the trial of King Charles I of England.John Fry, son of William Fry of Iwerneminster, was born in 1609...
, who had tried to aid him, were supported by the 1649 Leveller pamphlet Englands New Chaines Discovered. Biddle was strongly attacked by John Owen
John Owen (theologian)
John Owen was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian, and academic administrator at the University of Oxford.-Early life:...
.
In 1654-5 he was again in trouble with Parliament, which ordered his book A Two-fold Catechism seized; Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
exiled him to the Scilly Isles, out of the jurisdiction of any hostile English Parliaments. He was released in 1658. He was imprisoned once more, and became ill, leading to his death.
A biography of Biddle by Joshua Toulmin
Joshua Toulmin
Joshua Toulmin of Taunton, England was a noted theologian and a serial Dissenting minister of Presbyterian , Baptist , and then Unitarian congregations...
was published in 1789.
Works
He is believed to have translated the Racovian Catechism
Racovian Catechism
The Racovian Catechism is a nontrinitarian statement of faith from the 16th century. The title Racovian comes from the publishers, the Polish Brethren, who had founded a sizeable town in Raków, Kielce County, where the Racovian Academy and printing press was founded by Jakub Sienieński in...
into English.
Views
He denounced original sinOriginal sin
Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
, denied eternal punishment, and translated a mortalist tract. He condemned the Ranters. He affirmed that the Bible was the Word of God and his Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
appears to be Socinian, denying the pre-existence of Christ
Pre-existence of Christ
The pre-existence of Christ refers to the doctrine of the ontological or personal existence of Christ before his conception. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian view, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis called the Logos or Word...
but accepting the virgin birth.
Legacy
Biddle's appeal for conscience was one of the major milestones of the establishment of religious freedom in England. More recently Biddle's combination of socinian Christology and millennialismMillennialism
Millennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state...
has led to a rediscovery of his work among Christadelphians
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
and other non-Trinitarian groups in the 1970s and '80s.
External links
- Schaff article
- Biography, Allon Maxwell taken from a Biblical Unitarian source.
- Biography, Gloucester and District Archaeological Group
- John Biddles TWOFOLD SCRIPTURE CATECHISM