Latitudinarians, or latitude men, were initially a group of 17th-century English theologiansclerics and academicsfrom the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
who were moderate
Anglicans (members of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
). In particular, they believed that adhering to very specific doctrines, liturgical practices, and church organizational forms, as did the
Puritans
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic Church, Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become m ...
, was not necessary and could be harmful: "The sense that one had special instructions from God made individuals less amenable to moderation and compromise, or to reason itself."
Thus, the latitudinarians supported a broad-based (''
sensu lato'', with "laxitude") Protestantism. They were later referred to as
broad church (see also
Inclusivism
Inclusivism is one of several approaches in religious studies, anthropology, or civics to understand the relationship between different religions, societies, cultures, political factions etc. It asserts that there is beauty in the variety of di ...
).
Examples of the latitudinarian philosophy underlying the theology were found among the
Cambridge Platonists and Sir
Thomas Browne in his ''
Religio Medici''. Additionally, the term latitudinarian has been applied to ministers of the
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland.
A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...
who were educated at the Episcopal-sympathizing universities at