The ''Theological Repository'' was a periodical founded and edited from 1769 to 1771 by the eighteenth-century British

polymath A polymath ( el, πολυμαθής, , "having learned much"; la, homo universalis, "universal human") is an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific pro ...

Joseph Priestley Joseph Priestley (; 24 March 1733 – 6 February 1804) was an English chemist, natural philosopher, separatist theologian, grammarian, multi-subject educator, and liberal political theorist. He published over 150 works, and conducted ...

. Although ostensibly committed to the open and rational inquiry of theological questions, the journal became a mouthpiece for

Dissenting Dissent is an opinion, philosophy or sentiment of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or policy enforced under the authority of a government, political party or other entity or individual. A dissenting person may be referred to as ...

, particularly Unitarian and

Arian Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God ...

, doctrines. Priestley promised to print all viewpoints, but only like-minded authors ever submitted articles. He was therefore forced to provide much of the journal's content himself. After only a few years, due to a lack of funds, he was forced to cease publishing the journal. About a decade later, in 1784, Priestley revived the ''Theological Repository'', but he again became responsible for much of the journal's content and again the journal became insolvent after several issues (1784, 1786, 1788). Joseph Johnson, Priestley's close friend and publisher, was responsible for issuing the journal. Dedicated to the Unitarian cause, he bore much of the financial burden of the enterprise.

Contributors

Those contributing to the ''Repository'' included: * Samuel Badcock *

Samuel Bourn the Younger Samuel Bourn the Younger (1689 –22 March 1754) was an English dissenting minister. He was an English presbyterian preaching on protestant values learned from the New Testament. Through his published sermons, he entered the theological de ...

(posthumous publication of correspondence with

Philip Doddridge Philip Doddridge D.D. (26 June 1702 – 26 October 1751) was an English Nonconformist (specifically, Congregationalist) minister, educator, and hymnwriter. Early life Philip Doddridge was born in London the last of the twenty children of ...

) *

John Brekell John Brekell (1697–1769) was an English presbyterian minister and theological writer. Life Brekell was born at North Meols, Lancashire, in 1697, and was educated for the ministry at Nottingham, at the dissenting academy of John Hardy. His ...

, writing as Verus * Joseph Bretland, writing as Philander and under other names in the second series. * John Cameron, writing as Philander in the first series. * Paul Cardale *

James Duchal James Duchal, D.D. (1697–1761) was an Irish Presbyterian divine. Life Duchal is said to have been born in 1697 at Antrim. The year is probably correct, but the place is mistaken; his baptism is not recorded in the presbyterian register of A ...

William Hazlitt William Hazlitt (10 April 177818 September 1830) was an English essayist, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English lan ...

, father of the essayist, writing as Philalethes and Rationalis *

Joseph Mottershead Joseph Mottershead (1688–1771) was an English dissenting minister. Life The son of Joseph Mottershead, yeoman, he was born near Stockport, Cheshire, on 17 August 1688. He was educated at Attercliffe Academy under Timothy Jollie, and afterwards ...

, writing as Theophilus *

John Palmer John Palmer may refer to: People Politicians * John Palmer (fl. 1377–1394), English politician *Sir John Palmer, 5th Baronet (1735–1817), British politician * John Palmer (1785–1840), U.S. congressman from New York * John Palmer (1842–190 ...

, who wrote in the first series as G.H., but in the second series as Christophilos, Symmachus, and Erasmus. *

Thomas Fyshe Palmer Thomas Fyshe Palmer (1747–1802) was an English Unitarianism, Unitarian minister, political reformer and convict. Early life Palmer was born in Ickwell, Bedfordshire, England, the son of Henry Fyshe who assumed the added name of Palmer because ...

, writing as Anglo-Scotus * William Turner, writing as Vigilius * John Wiche, writing as Nazaraeus

Notes

Bibliography

*Braithwaite, Helen. ''Romanticism, Publishing and Dissent: Joseph Johnson and the Cause of Liberty''. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. . *Holt, Anne. ''A Life of Joseph Priestley''. London: Oxford University Press, 1931. *Schofield, Robert E. ''The Enlightenment of Joseph Priestley: A Study of his Life and Work from 1733 to 1773''. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1997. . *Schofield, Robert E. ''The Enlightened Joseph Priestley: A Study of His Life and Work from 1773 to 1804''. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2004. . *Uglow, Jenny. ''The Lunar Men: Five Friends Whose Curiosity Changed the World''. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002. . {{Authority control Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1769 Magazines disestablished in 1788 1769 establishments in Great Britain 1788 disestablishments in Great Britain