Matthew Barker (1619 – 25 March 1698) was an English Independent minister and parliamentarian, known for his work on
natural theology
Natural theology, once also termed physico-theology, is a type of theology that seeks to provide arguments for theological topics (such as the existence of a deity) based on reason and the discoveries of science.
This distinguishes it from ...
and for his participation in English 17th-century politics.
Life
Matthew Barker was born in
Great Cransley
Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements
* Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size
* Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent
People
* List of people known as "the Great"
*Artel Great (born ...
,
Northamptonshire, to parents unknown. He worked as a schoolmaster in
Banbury,
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...
, until the outbreak of the
English Civil War, at which point he became preacher to a
London parish. Barker was an avid parliamentarian and was invited to preach a sermon before the
House of Commons on 25 October 1648. The new republic welcomed him, and his moderation earned him the favour of the
Cromwell regime, which made him an assistant to the London commission.
After the
Restoration of the English monarchy, Barker became a
nonconformist
Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to:
Culture and society
* Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior
*Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity
** ...
, forming his own London congregation. Following the
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...
, Barker worked to promote unity among
Dissenters. To this end he published a collection of advice for scholars entering the ministry, entitled ''
Flores intellectuales''. Barker's major published work was ''
Natural Theology
Natural theology, once also termed physico-theology, is a type of theology that seeks to provide arguments for theological topics (such as the existence of a deity) based on reason and the discoveries of science.
This distinguishes it from ...
'' in which Barker sought to demonstrate the existence of God from the properties of nature. He died in
London.
References
*
*E. C. Vernon
‘Barker, Matthew (1619–1698)’ ''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 23 Jan 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Matthew
1619 births
1698 deaths
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
17th-century English naturalists
Paleobotanists
People from Wellingborough
English Congregationalists
English independent ministers of the Interregnum (England)
Ejected English ministers of 1662