enthusiastical concerns of Dr. Henry More, The

Book Description

This scholarly exploration delves into the fascinating intellectual battles of seventeenth-century religious thought through the lens of Henry More, a prominent Cambridge Platonist who wielded the term "enthusiastical" as a powerful weapon against what he saw as dangerous spiritual movements.

Daniel Clifford Fouke reveals how More systematically challenged Alchemists, Quakers, and Mechanical Philosophers by arguing that their approaches stemmed from psychological imbalance that clouded judgment and distorted spiritual understanding. Rather than dismissing these groups outright, More engaged them through sophisticated dialectical methods, using various forms of religious discourse to articulate his vision of authentic spiritual meaning.

The book illuminates More's consistent framework for what constitutes a genuinely meaningful religious life, showing how he sought to protect spiritual seekers from what he viewed as intellectual corruption. Fouke examines More's paradoxical approach to religious debate, demonstrating how this seventeenth-century thinker navigated complex theological terrain while maintaining his core convictions.

For contemporary readers interested in the evolution of spiritual thought, this work offers valuable insights into the historical tensions between different approaches to religious experience. It explores the intricate connections between Hermeticism, Cartesian philosophy, and religious radicalism, providing a window into how spiritual movements have long grappled with questions of authenticity, authority, and the proper path to divine understanding.

Through More's story, readers encounter timeless questions about discernment in spiritual matters.