The present collection of essays is devoted to the Christian philosophy of the most prolific and most speculatively ambitious of the Cambridge Origenists, Henry More. Not only did More revere Origen, whom he extolled as a “holy sage” and “that miracle of the Christian world”, but he also developed a philosophical system which hinged upon the Origenian notions of universal divine goodness and libertarian human freedom. Throughout his life, More subscribed to the ancient theology of the pre-existence of souls and took issue with the early modern philosophies of Thomas Hobbes, René Descartes and Baruch de Spinoza. His vision of God’s goodness, experienced in his early school years at Eton, became the cornerstone of an Origenist rationalism which envisaged an extended world animated by divine thought and inhabited by self-moving rational agents. More’s philosophy is the crowning attainment of the early modern rediscovery of Origen as well as a neglected major rationalist system in its own right which went on to exert decisive influence upon all subsequent western metaphysics.
The essays collected in the first part provide a detailed introduction to More’s voluminous writings. After a comprehensive general overview of his metaphysical and ethical system, the essays expound More’s historical context and his philosophical development from his early poetry in the 1640s to his mature philosophical and theological prose works of the 50s, 60s and 70s. In addition, the reception of More and Origen in the later Cambridge Origenists and in Isaac Newton is outlined. The second part contains several excerpts from More’s influential Latin works first translated into English by the editor.
Über den Autor
Christian Hengstermann, Fellow des Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism und Lehrer am Gymnasium Essen-Werden, geb. 1979 in Bottrop, Studium der Philosophie, Klassischen Philologie, Anglistik und Katholischen Theologie in Münster, 2015 Promotion in Katholischer Theologie, 2016–2017 Research Associate an der Divinity Faculty der University of Cambridge, 2017–2019 Senior Editor im Projekt „Cambridge Platonism at the Origins of the Enlightenment“ (Cambridge/Bristol). 2019–2020: Lehrbeauftragter am Philosophischen Seminar der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
Preface
S. 5–10
Origenism and Christian Platonism in Henry More
Christian Hengstermann
Introduction: Visions of the Cosmic God. The Christian Platonism of Origen and Henry More
S. 11–74
Marilyn A. Lewis
John Cockshute – “whoever he may have been [...]”
S. 75–88
Christian Hengstermann
Geist und Äther. Die origeneische Präexistenz- und Apokatastasislehre in Henry Mores Platonischem Lied von der Seele
S. 89–124
David Leech
Does Henry More's Conception of a “Divine Life” Bear Traces of Origen's Influence?
S. 125–140
Rudolf B. Hein O.Praem.
Das fehlende Bindeglied. Die Rolle der facultas boniformis in der Gewissenskonzeption von Henry More
S. 141–168
Jon Thompson
Henry More's Origenist Metaphysics of Resurrection
S. 169–186
Douglas Hedley
Seeing is Believing. Henry More and the Transformation of Mystery into Revelation
S. 187–202
Adrian Mihai
“Strato's Ghost”. A Critique of “Hylozoick” Philosophy by Henry More and Ralph Cudworth
S. 230–220
Marilyn A. Lewis
Expanding the “Origenist Moment”. Nathaniel Ingelo, George Rust and Henry Hallywell
S. 221–240
Bogdan-Antoniu Deznan
The God of Universal Goodness in Henry More and the Cambridge Origenists. From the Grand Mystery of Godliness to the Two Choice and Useful Treatises
S. 241–262
Remus Gabriel Manoila
Origenes est bonus Scripturarum Interpres, malus dogmatistes. Isaac Newton Reads Origen
S. 263–287
The Boniform Vision of God – Texts
Henry More
Historiola (1679)
S. 288–299
Henry More
Carmina (ca. 1637–1639)
S. 300–305
Henry More
Epistola prima H. Mori ad R. Des-Cartes, ubi prœcipuè agitur de Natura Corporis & Vacui, de Mundi extensione, déque sensu Brutorum (1648)
S. 306–319
Henry More
Ad V.C. Epistola altera – Another Letter to V.C. 43–45 (1678/79)
S. 320–332
Bible
S. 333
Origen
S. 334–335
Ancient and Medieval Sources
S. 336
Modern Sources
S. 337–347
Names and Subjects
S. 348–352