Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) was an influential Anglican cleric, theologian, and writer known for his contributions to religious thought during a tumultuous period in England's history. Born in Cambridge and educated at Gonville and Caius College and later All Souls College, Oxford, Taylor’s early career was marked by his strong Protestant views and connections with prominent church figures, including Archbishop William Laud. He held several positions, including rector of Uppingham and royal chaplain, and became known for his passionate opposition to Roman Catholicism, despite maintaining friendships with Catholic clergy.
During the English Civil War, Taylor's involvement with King Charles I and his subsequent writings, such as "A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying," advocated for religious tolerance at a time of widespread intolerance. His literary works, including "The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living" and "The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying," reflect his deep theological insights and personal experiences, particularly following personal losses. After a period of displacement due to political strife, Taylor was reinstated in the Church of Ireland as bishop of Down and Connor following the restoration of the monarchy. He is remembered for his commitment to free will and his nuanced views on original sin, which distinguished him from many of his contemporaries. Taylor's legacy continues to resonate in discussions about religious tolerance and the nature of sanctity.
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Jeremy Taylor
Clergyman
- Born: August, 1613 (baptized)
- Birthplace: Cambridge, England
- Died: August 13, 1667
Biography
The son of a Cambridge barber, Jeremy Taylor was baptized in August,1613, at Trinity Church. Family member Rowland Taylor had been a Protestant martyr in the sixteenth century. In 1626, Taylor became a student at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University, where he received a B.A. in 1631 and an M.A. in 1634. After serving a period of probation, he became a fellow of All Souls College at Oxford University in 1636. Archbishop of CanterburyWilliam Laud was impressed when he heard Taylor deliver a substitute sermon at St. John’s Cathedral. Laud smoothed the way for Taylor to become a fellow at Oxford and also recommended Taylor for a position as a royal chaplain.
Taylor’s vehement denunciation of Roman Catholicism made his public theological and political positions transparent. His private behavior was suspect however, as Taylor maintained friendships with Catholic clergy and was thought to believe salvation was impossible until confession was made to a priest. In 1638, Taylor became rector of Uppingham in Rutland, and he and married Phoebe Langsdale there in 1639.
Perhaps in recognition of the publication of Of the Sacred Order, and Offices of Episcopacy (1642), Taylor was awarded a doctor of divinity degree from Oxford University, by royal mandate. With England’s civil war looming, Taylor’s association with King Charles I meant his position was unsettled during hostilities between Parliament and the king. A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying, published in 1647, resulted from this period of conflict. By the time of the book’s publication, Taylor was living in Wales, where he helped set up a school and was chaplain to Richard Vaughn, earl of Carbery. A Discourse of the Liberty of Prophesying was an important publication that called for religious tolerance. Published at a time of great religious intolerance, Taylor skillfully defined heresy in narrow terms, thereby limiting the scope of transgressions that could be labeled heretical.
Another of Taylor’s works, The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life According to the Christian Institution (1649), was perhaps the first English narrative of Christ. His books The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living (1650) and The Rule and Exercises of Holy Dying (1651) were among his most enduring works. The death of Taylor’s wife may have been some of his motivation for writing the latter book. Taylor married his second wife, heiress Joanna Bridges, in 1655.
In 1658, Taylor was appointed to serve a congregation of Anglicans in Lisburn, Ireland. The following year, he was charged with heresy for employing the sign of the cross during baptisms. However, after King Charles II reestablished the British monarchy and Episcopal religious rule was reasserted, Taylor regained his position and became bishop of Down and Connor in the Church of Ireland in 1661. Taylor was not particularly sympathetic to Irish protestants’ objections to the authority of the Church of Ireland. To the end, Taylor maintained the primacy of free will and refused to conform to his fellow Anglican’s position on original sin. Taylor died in 1667.