The Boyle Lectures are named after

Robert Boyle Robert Boyle (; 25 January 1627 – 31 December 1691) was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, alchemist and inventor. Boyle is largely regarded today as the first modern chemist, and therefore one of the founders of ...

, a prominent

natural philosopher Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe. It was dominant before the development of modern science. From the ancient wor ...

of the 17th century and son of

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (13 October 1566 – 15 September 1643), also known as the Great Earl of Cork, was an English politician who served as Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland. Lord Cork was an important figure in the continuing ...

. Under the terms of his Will, Robert Boyle endowed a series of lectures or sermons (originally eight each year) which were to consider the relationship between Christianity and the new natural philosophy (today's 'science') then emerging in European society.

History

Early lectures

The first such lecture was given in 1692 by

Richard Bentley Richard Bentley FRS (; 27 January 1662 – 14 July 1742) was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. Considered the "founder of historical philology", Bentley is widely credited with establishing the English school of Helle ...

, to whom

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a " natural philosopher"), widely recognised as one of the g ...

had written: The early lecturers were specifically charged to prove the truth of the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

religion against Jews, Muslims and non-believers, without considering any controversies or differences that might exist between different Christian groups. A clergyman was to be appointed to the lectureship for a term of no more than three years by

Thomas Tenison Thomas Tenison (29 September 163614 December 1715) was an English church leader, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1694 until his death. During his primacy, he crowned two British monarchs. Life He was born at Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, the son ...

(later Archbishop of Canterbury) and three other nominated trustees. Boyle had assigned the rent from his house in Crooked Lane to support the lectures but the income from that source soon disappeared. Archbishop Tenison then arranged that the rental income from a farm in the parish of Brill in Buckinghamshire was to be paid at the rate of £12.10.00 per quarter to the lecturer.

Revival

The Boyle Lectures were revived in 2004 at the famous

Wren Wrens are a family of brown passerine birds in the predominantly New World family Troglodytidae. The family includes 88 species divided into 19 genera. Only the Eurasian wren occurs in the Old World, where, in Anglophone regions, it is commonl ...

church of

St Mary-le-Bow The Church of St Mary-le-Bow is a Church of England parish church in the City of London. Located on Cheapside, one of the city's oldest and most important thoroughfares, the church was founded in 1080 by Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. Rebu ...

in the City of London by Dr Michael Byrne, a Fellow of Birkbeck College London. Financial support for the lectures has been provided by a number of patrons, principally the

Worshipful Company of Grocers The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of London and ranks second in order of precedence. The Grocers' Company was established in 1345 for merchants occupied in the trade of grocer and is one of the G ...

and the

Worshipful Company of Mercers The Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies. It is the first of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. Although of even older origin, the c ...

in the city. A book to mark the 10th anniversary of the revived series was edited by Russell Re Manning and Michael Byrne and published by SCM Press in 2013 as 'Science and Religion in the Twenty-First Century: The Boyle Lectures 2004-2013'. Having convened the first 15 lectures in the new series, Michael Byrne stepped down as Convenor in 2018. Management of the lecture then passed to the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) in cooperation with the Boyle Lectures Board of Trustees. Members of the board include John Boyle, 15th Earl of Cork; the Hon. Robert Boyle; Julian Tregoning, Past Master of the

Grocers' Company The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of London and ranks second in order of precedence. The Grocers' Company was established in 1345 for merchants occupied in the trade of grocer and is one of the Gr ...

; Xenia Dennan, Past Master of the Mercers Company; the Revd George R. Bush, Rector of St Mary-le-Bow; Emeritus Professor John Hedley Brooke; Dr Russell Re Manning; Professor Fraser Watts; and the Revd Michael Reiss, President of the ISSR.

Chronological list

; 17th century * 1692 – ''A Confutation of Atheism'', by

(titles might be trimmed) * 1693-94 - ''A Demonstration of the Messias, in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews'', by

Richard Kidder Richard Kidder (1633–1703) was an English Anglican churchman, Bishop of Bath and Wells, from 1691 to his death. He was a noted theologian. Biography He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was a sizar, from 1649, graduati ...

* 1694 - itle Unknown by Richard Bentley * 1695 - ''The Possibility, Expediency and Necessity of Divine Revelation'', by

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review '' WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who w ...

* 1696 - ''The Perfection of the Evangelical Revelation'', by John Williams * 1697 - ''The Certainty of the Christian Revelation and the Necessity of believing it, established'', by Francis Gastrell (

Bishop of Chester The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York. The diocese extends across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in th ...

) * 1698 - ''The Atheistical Objections against the Being of God and His Attributes fairly considered and fully refuted'', by John Harris * 1699 - ''The Credibility of the Christian Revelation, from its intrinsick Evidence'', by Samuel Bradford (

Bishop of Rochester The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. The town of Rochester has the bishop's seat, at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was fou ...

) * 1700 - ''The Sufficiency of a Standing Revelation'', by Offspring Blackall ; 18th century * 1701–02 - ''Truth and Exellency of the Christian Religion'', by

George Stanhope George Stanhope (5 March 1660 – 18 March 1728) was a clergyman of the Church of England, rising to be Dean of Canterbury and a Royal Chaplain. He was also amongst the commissioners responsible for the building of fifty new churches in Lond ...

* 1703 - Adams * 1704 - ''A Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God'', by Samuel Clarke * 1705 - ''The Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion'', by Samuel Clarke * 1706 - ''Arguments to Prove the Being of a God'', by John Hancock * 1707 - ''The Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies'', by

William Whiston William Whiston (9 December 166722 August 1752) was an English theologian, historian, natural philosopher, and mathematician, a leading figure in the popularisation of the ideas of Isaac Newton. He is now probably best known for helping to ins ...

* 1708 - ''The Wisdom of God in the Redemption of Man, as delivered in the Holy Scriptures, vindicated from the chief Objections of Modern Infidels'', by John Turner * 1709 - ''Religion no Matter of Shame'', by Lilly Butler * 1710 - ''The Divine Original and Excellence of the Christian Religion'', by Josiah Woodward * 1711–12 -
Physico-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation
', by

William Derham William Derham FRS (26 November 16575 April 1735)Smolenaars, Marja.Derham, William (1657–1735), ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004. Accessed 26 May 2007. was an English clergyman, natural theologian, na ...

* 1713–14 - ''On the Exercise of Private Judgment, or Free-Thinking'', by

Benjamin Ibbot Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's th ...

* 1717–18 - ''Natural Obligations to Believe the Principles of Religion and Divine Revelation'', by John Leng * 1719 -
An Enquiry into the Cause and Origin of Evil
', by John Clarke * 1720 - ''On the Origin of Evil'', by John Clarke * 1721 - ''The pretended Difficulties in Natural or Revealed Religion, no Excuse for Infidelity'', by

Robert Gurdon The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, ho ...

* 1724–25 - ''A Demonstration of True Religion, in a Chain of Consequences from certain and undeniable Principles'', by

Thomas Burnett Thomas Burnett or Burnet may refer to: *Thomas Burnet (c. 1635–1715), theologian * Thomas Burnet (physician) (1638–1704), physician to Charles II, James II, William and Mary, and Queen Anne *Sir Thomas Burnett, 1st Baronet (died 1653), feudal ...

* 1725–28 -

John Denne John Denne D.D. (1693–1767) was an English churchman and antiquarian, Archdeacon of Rochester from 1728. Life Born at Littlebourne, Kent, on 25 May 1693, he was the eldest son of John Denne, woodreeve to the see of Canterbury. He was educate ...

* 1730–32 - ''The Gradual Revelation of the Gospel from the time of Man's Apostacy'', by

William Berriman William Berriman D.D. (1688–1750) was an English theologian, known as a Boyle Lecturer and controversialist. Life The son of John Berriman, apothecary in Bishopsgate Street, London, in the parish of St. Ethelburga, by Mary, daughter of William ...

* 1736–38 -
The History of the Acts of the Holy Apostles, confirmed from other Authors, and considered as full Evidence for the Truth of Christianity
', by

Richard Biscoe Richard Biscoe (died 1748) was an English clergyman. Initially a Dissenting minister, he later was an Anglican, Boyle Lecturer, and President of Sion College. Life He was educated at an academy kept by Samuel Benion at Shrewsbury, and on 19 De ...

* 1739–41 -

Leonard Twells Leonard Twells (1684?–1742) was an English cleric and theological writer. Life His father John was Master of Newark School. He received his education at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1704. In 1722 Twells was presented to ...

* 1747–49 - ''Christianity justified upon the Scripture Foundation; being a Summery View of the Controversy between Christians and Deists'', by Henry Stebbing * 1750–52 - John Jortin * 1756–58 - Thomas Newton * 1759–62 - Charles Moss * 1763 - ''A Discourse upon the Being of God against Atheists'', by

Ralph Heathcote Ralph Heathcote (1721–1795) was an English cleric and writer. Life He was born on 19 December 1721 at Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire, where his father (died 1765), later vicar of Sileby and rector of Morton, Derbyshire, was then curate. His ...

* 1766–68 - ''The Evidence of Christianity deduced from Facts and the Testimony of Senses throughout all Ages of the Church to the present time'', by William Worthington * 1769–71 - ''The Intent and Propriety of the Scripture Miracles considered and explained'', by Henry Owen * 1778–80 -
An Argument for the Christian Religion, drawn from a Comparison of Revelation with the Natural Operations of the Mind
', by James Williamson ; 19th century * 1802–05 - ''An Historical View of the Rise and Progress of Infidelity, with a Refutation of its Principles and Reasonings'', by William Van Mildert * 1812 - William Van Mildert * 1814 - Frederick Nolan * 1821 - ''The Connection of Christianity with Human Happiness'', by

William Harness William Harness (1790–1869) was an English cleric and man of letters. Life Born near Wickham, Hampshire, Wickham in Hampshire on 14 March 1790, he was son of John Harness, M.D., commissioner of transports, and elder brother Henry Drury Harness ...

* 1845–46 - ''The Religions of the World; and Their Relations to Christianity Considered in Eight Lectures'' -

Frederick Denison Maurice John Frederick Denison Maurice (29 August 1805 – 1 April 1872), known as F. D. Maurice, was an English Anglican theologian, a prolific author, and one of the founders of Christian socialism. Since World War II, interest in Maurice has ex ...

* 1854 - Christopher Wordsworth * 1857 - ''Eight discourses on the miracles'', by William Gilson Humphry * 1861 -
The Bible and its Critics: an Enquiry into the Objective Reality of Revealed Truths
', by Edward Garbett * 1862 - ''The Conflict between Science and Infidelity'', by Edward Garbett * 1863 - ''The Divine Plan of Revelation'', by Edward Garbett * 1864 - ''The conversion of the Roman empire'', by

Charles Merivale Charles Merivale (8 March 1808 – 27 December 1893) was an English historian and churchman, for many years dean of Ely Cathedral. He was one of the main instigators of the inaugural Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race which took place at Henley ...

* 1865 - ''The Conversion of the Northern Nations'', by

* 1866–67 - ''Christ and Christendom'', by Edward Hayes Plumptre * 1868 -
The Witness of the Old Testament to Christ
', by

Stanley Leathes Stanley Leathes (21 March 1830 – 30 April 1900) was an English theologian and Orientalist. Biography He was born at Ellesborough, Buckinghamshire, the son of the Rev. Chaloner Stanley Leathes, and was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, wh ...

* 1869 -
The Witness of St. Paul to Christ
', by Stanley Leathes * 1870 - ''The Witness of St. John to Christ'', by Stanley Leathes * 1871–72 - ''Moral Difficulties Connected with the Bible'', by James Augustus Hessey * 1874–75 -
Christianity and Morality Or the Correspondence of the Gospel with the Moral Nature of Man
', by Henry Wace * 1876 - ''What is Natural Theology?'', by Alfred Barry * 1877–78 - ''The Manifold Witness for Christ'', by Alfred Barry * 1879–80 -
The Evidential Value of the Holy Eucharist
', by

George Frederick Maclear George Frederick Maclear (b.3 Feb 1833 in Bedford; d. 19 Oct 1902 at St Augustine's College, Canterbury) was an English clergyman, theological writer and headmaster at King's College School, London (later Wimbledon). He was the eldest son of the ...

* 1884 -
The Scientific Obstacles to Christian Belief
', by

George Herbert Curteis George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...

* 1890 -
Old Truths in Modern Lights
' (''The Present Conflict of Science and Theology''), by T. G. Bonney * 1891 -
Christian Doctrines and Modern Thought
', by T. G. Bonney * 1893 - ''Ascent of Faith or the Grounds of Certainty in Science and Religion'', by

Alexander James Harrison Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

* 1895 -
The Gospel of Experience Or the Witness of Human Life to the Truth of Revelation
', by

W. C. E. Newbolt W. may refer to: * SoHo (Australian TV channel) (previously W.), an Australian pay television channel * ''W.'' (film), a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush * "W.", the fifth track from Codeine's 1992 EP ''Bar ...

* 1897 - William Benham ; 20th century * 1903–05 -
The Testimony of St. Paul to Christ Viewed in Some of its Aspects
', by

Richard John Knowling Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'str ...

* 1935–36 - ''God, Creation and Revelation'', by

Allen John MacDonald Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to: Buildings * Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee * Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas * Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Uni ...

* 1965 -
The Christian Universe
', by Eric Mascall ; 21st century * 2004 -
Darwin, Design, and the Promise of Nature
', by John F. Haught, with a response by Richard Chartres * 2005 -
Darwin’s Compass: How Evolution Discovers the Song of Creation
', by

Simon Conway Morris Simon Conway Morris (born 1951) is an English palaeontologist, evolutionary biologist, and astrobiologist known for his study of the fossils of the Burgess Shale and the Cambrian explosion. The results of these discoveries were celebrated ...

, with a response by Keith Ward * 2006 -
The Emergence of Spirit: From Complexity to Anthropology to Theology
', by Philip Clayton, with a response by

Niels Gregersen Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nicolaos after Saint ...

* 2007
''Cosmology of Ultimate Concern''
by

John D Barrow John David Barrow (29 November 1952 – 26 September 2020) was an English cosmologist, theoretical physicist, and mathematician. He served as Gresham Professor of Geometry at Gresham College from 2008 to 2011. Barrow was also a writer of popul ...

, with a response by

Martin Rees Martin John Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from the royalsociety.org website where: (born 23 June 1942) is a British cosmologist and astrophysicist. He is the fifteenth Astronomer Roya ...

* 2008
''Psychologising and Neurologising about Religion: Facts, Fallacies and the Future''
by Malcolm Jeeves, with a response by Fraser Watts * 2009
''Misusing Darwin: The Materialist Conspiracy in Evolutionary Biology''
by Keith Ward, with a response by John Polkinghorne * 2010
''The Legacy of Robert Boyle - Then and Now''
by

John Hedley Brooke John Hedley Brooke (born 1944) is a British historian of science specialising in the relationship between science and religion. Biography Born on 20 May 1944, Brooke is the son of Hedley Joseph Brooke, and Margaret Brooke, née Brown. He was e ...

, with a response by Geoffrey Cantor * 2011
''Is the World Unfinished? On Interactions between Science and Theology''
by

Jürgen Moltmann Jürgen Moltmann (born 8 April 1926) is a German Reformed theologian who is Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at the University of Tübingen and is known for his books such as the ''Theology of Hope'', ''The Crucified God'', ''God in Creat ...

, with a response by Alan Torrance * 2012
''Christ and Evolution: A Drama of Wisdom''
by Celia Deane-Drummond, with a response by Fount LeRon Shults * 2013
''Science and Religion in Dialogue''
by John Polkinghorne, with a response by Richard Chartres * 2014
''New Atheism – New Apologetics: The Use of Science in Recent Christian Apologetic Writings''
by

Alister McGrath Alister Edgar McGrath (; born 1953) is a Northern Irish theologian, Anglican priest, intellectual historian, scientist, Christian apologist, and public intellectual. He currently holds the Andreas Idreos Professorship in Science and Religio ...

, with a response by Richard Harries * 2015
''Natural Theology Revisited (Again)''
by Russell Re Manning, with a response by

Louise Hickman Louise or Luise may refer to: * Louise (given name) Arts Songs * "Louise" (Bonnie Tyler song), 2005 * "Louise" (The Human League song), 1984 * "Louise" (Jett Rebel song), 2013 * "Louise" (Maurice Chevalier song), 1929 *"Louise", by Clan o ...

* 2016 - ''Natural Theology in a Changed Key? Evolution, Cooperation, and the God Question'', by

Sarah Coakley Sarah Anne Coakley (born 1951) is an English Anglican priest, systematic theologian and philosopher of religion with interdisciplinary interests. She is an honorary professor at the Logos Institute, the University of St Andrews, after she stepped ...

, with a response by

Christopher Insole Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), " Christ" or " Anointed", and φέρ ...

* 2017 - ''Theological Influences in Scientific Research Programmes: Natural Theology 'in Reverse, by

Robert J. Russell Robert John Russell is founder and Director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS). He is also the Ian G. Barbour Professor of Theology and Science in Residence at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU). He has written and edited ...

, with a response by

Rowan Williams Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet. He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held from December 2002 to December 2012. Previously the Bi ...

* 2018 - ''Apocalypses Now: Modern Science and Biblical Miracles'', by Mark Harris, with a response by

*2019 - ''Science, Religion and Ethics'', by

Michael Reiss Michael J. Reiss (born 1960) is a British bioethicist, educator, and journalist. He is also an Anglican priest. Reiss is professor of science education at the Institute of Education, University College London, where he is assistant director, res ...

*2020 - ''Mental Health and the Gospel'', by Christopher Cook, with a response by Fraser Watts *2021 - ''The Rediscovery of Contemplation Through Science'', by Tom McLeish, with a response by

References

{{reflist, colwidth=30em

External links

Boyle, Robert, and the Boyle Lectures
in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. II (

CCEL The Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) is a digital library that provides free electronic copies of Christian scripture and literature texts. Description CCEL is a volunteer-based project founded and directed by Harry Plantinga, a pr ...

) Christian theological lectures Lectures on religion and science Philosophy events