The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity In Modern English, Vol. 1

by Richard Hooker, W. Bradford Littlejohn (Editor), Brad Belschner

“That posterity may know we have not loosely through silence permitted things to pass away as in a dream...”

So opens Richard Hooker’s Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity, one of the great landmarks of Protestant theological literature, and indeed of English literature generally. Sadly, however, recent generations of church leaders and scholars have come perilously close to allowing his work to pass away as in a dream. Locked away in a rich and beautiful, but labyrinthine and archaic Elizabethan prose style, Hooker’s writings are scarcely read—and for many, scarcely readable—today. This new edition of Hooker’s Laws “translates” his prose into modern English for the first time, without sacrificing any of the theological depth or sparkling wit of the original.

Although the Church of England and its “Puritan” critics have long since moved on from the specific controversy that gave rise to the Laws, the significance of this extraordinary work has not diminished—nor has the urgent need for the wisdom it has to offer, which is as relevant for 21st-century Christians as it was for those in the sixteenth. Addressing such timeless questions as the role of Scripture in the life of the Church, the relationship of conscience to authority, the appropriate use of reason and tradition in theology, and the meaning of Protestantism’s protest against Rome, this first volume of Hooker’s Laws in Modern English promises to challenge and equip a new generation of Christian readers.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christian

349 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2019

About the author

Richard Hooker (March 1554 – 3 November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and the value of tradition considerably influenced the development of Anglicanism. He was the co-founder (with Thomas Cranmer and Matthew Parker) of Anglican theological thought. Hooker's great Elizabethan guide to Church Government and Discipline is both a masterpiece of English prose and one of the bulwarks of the Established Church in England. Hooker projected eight books for the great work. The first four books of Ecclesiastical Polity appeared in 1593, Book V in 1597. Hooker died in 1600 at the age of forty-six and the remaining three books were completed, though not revised, before his death. The manuscripts fell into careless or unscrupulous hands and were not published until long afterwards (1648 to 1662), and then only in mutilated form. Samuel Pepys makes mention of Hooker's Polity three times in his Diary, first in 1661, "Mr. Chetwind fell commending of 'Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity,' as the best book, and the only one that made him a Christian, which puts me upon the buying of it, which I will do shortly." In 1667 Pepys bought the new edition that had been printed in 1666, the first to include the life of Hooker by Izaak Walton.

Reviews

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. I appreciated Hooker’s modest approach. He doesn’t argue that Presbyterian church polity (or any other kind, for that matter) is strictly wrong in all cases, nor that the episcopal model of the Church of England is strictly right. Rather, he simply shows how the most strident expressions of Puritanism and the most extreme versions of the Regulative Principle touted by some of his contemporaries was overblown.

[William Lockett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should be wider in modern times considering its large influence in the development of Anglican theology and political theory. Really useful read it that it predicts many of the pitfalls of both modern politics and Christianity without even trying to do so. I particularly enjoyed the sections focusing in on what the application of the idea of Scripture alone truly means. Does it mean only doing things in the church explicitly taught in Scripture, or does it mean not doing things explicitly outlawed by Scripture? Hooker shows how following the first and having a functional church is essentially impossible, and how an understanding of natural law and wisdom are crucial to forming a coherent church and legal system.

[Justin Dillehay · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Baptist, I didn't (i.e. couldn't) always agree with Anglican Hooker. Still, there are loads of wisdom here regarding the relationship between natural law and Scripture, what Scriptural sufficiency means (and doesn't mean), etc. I couldn't help but wonder at times whether Hooker weren't simply studying for arguments to justify the status quo of which he was a part. Still, the book as a whole is very useful, and I'm looking forward to future volumes in this Davenant modernization project.

[Scott Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took my time with this one, marking up each page and adding dozens of tabs. Richard Hooker is a forgotten gem of the reformation, articulating a Protestant catholicity that I've been looking for through years of searching. He is charitable, clear, systematic, and worthy of his label of "The Anglican Theologian".

I hope that Davenant continues their retrieval of this great reformer into the next two volumes.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Assigning a rating to Hooker’s Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity feels a bit absurd given its historical role in the definition and development of Anglicanism, but in the case I am reviewing Littlejohn’s (et al) “Modern English” edition. Hooker’s original writing, while widely recognized as rewarding (e.g., consider C.S. Lewis’s views on Hooker), is quite challenging for the modern reader. I found this edition highly accessible and look forward to the publication of the remaining volumes.

[Steve DePangher]

Hooker is well worth reading. The "translation" is well done.

[Daylon Tilitzky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent text on Ecclesiology, Hooker does an almost eerily good job of predicting the modern political climate. A favorite quote is "It is not how passionately someone is convinced, but how soundly they argue, that should persuade us that their views come from the Holy Spirit." Indeed, we could certainly do with a touch more rationality in our discussions and a touch less angry, aggressive rhetoric on both sides of the political spectrum, though certainly more so on the right.
Alas, it is not all great as a paragraph down Hooker then questions the use of preaching to women, and suggests other Reformers do so because women are apparently more prone to gossip, due to them being more simple-minded than men, which lends them to spread their message of Reform to other simple-minded people. I truly sometimes wonder whether these elder men have actually talked to a woman, or if they just make things up on the spot from hearsay.
Another argument that is sure to bother some is his argument that the wise and learned should have authority over the less learned and that leaving government, both ecclesiastical and civil, to the "common folk" is a bad idea. I'm unsure of my opinion on it, honestly.
I still give the book 4 stars as, when he is not talking about women, which he does mercifully sparingly, he does quite a good job of explaining why the "Middle road" is the best course of action, and why the radical Reformers are indeed out to lunch. I was already a fairly convinced Anglican, but I doubt I could return to the Evangelical church now, having seen so many of their arguments blasted so entirely.

[Ben Smitthimedhin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was actually through Dr. B. Littlejohn's class on the Reformation that I learned a lot about Hooker. Sure, I've read excerpts here and there and was thoroughly annoyed of Hooker's writing style (clause after clause after clause... I'm a fan of short sentences because of Klinkenborg). But it was in Paul Avis's "The Church in the Theology of the Reformers" that I saw Hooker's charitable interpretation of the Roman Catholic church playing out so beautifully in his via media. The middle way of Anglicanism seemed to me a bit of a "softie" take before, like refusing to take a stand for anything because it could hurt feelings.

So I was surprised to learn how sensible the via media was, how thorough Hooker was in arguing his case. In writing against the puritan Cartwright, who held a more Biblicist view of Scripture and wanted to rid the church of what he deemed "popish ceremonies," Hooker lays the foundation for why Scripture cannot exist without natural reason (as both are from God), how laws are a product of common reason, and how we can use Scripture for its intended purpose. Though Hooker's arguments are not without flaws, they're key to understanding the heart of Anglicanism and why Anglicans today cannot and should not hold to a Biblicist view of Christianity. More importantly, Hooker's charitable spirit is something so urgently necessary now. There's a lot of arguing over nothing. Imagine if the church actually believes what Hooker says: "There will come a time when three words uttered with charity and meekness shall receive a far more blessed reward than three thousand volumes written with disdainful sharpness of wit”

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The scholarship in the translation to modern English was great. The arguments…were what I expected. The love of hierarchies and ceremonies is at best, pitiable, and at worst, gorge rising for a non-monarchical Presbyterian. Studied this to see why Locke used it so much to set up his separation of church and state argument that would eventually feed western democratic revolutions. It’s an historical chain of selective references used to create the appearance of validity from earlier sources…in contradiction to the point of those sources. Good for a once through to get some perspective, but not worth further study.

[Scott MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hooker wanted to reestablish order in the church in a time of great upheaval, with English Separatists breaking off from the Catholic church and its doctrine. Law is central to his framework, and especially the Eternal law by which God has decreed how all things should be and inclining mankind toward its perfect state. More like Aquinas than Augustine, Hooker espouses a higher view of man's natural capability to reason. He sets Christian rulers to implement human laws that would promulgate this eternal law. Read Hooker if you want to understand the interwoven relationship between Church and State that existed in England. Definitely recommend the modern English version.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The preface and book one alone are worth the read. Hooker's notions of natural law and government by consent of the governed prefigure Lockean notions of law and provide a bridge between the "pre-modern" thought of Aquinas and "modern" Lockeanism.

[Douglas Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kind of thinking is tempting to embrace but I'm cautious, as some of my favorite theologians are biblicists.

[Evan]

Skimmed.

[Raymond Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book from which I received, except for frequent quotations, only one side of the argument, I found Hooker compelling, often, though heavy handed from time to time. Since I do not know the complete arguments from the other side I cannot say whether or not Hooker's seeming heavy handedness was justified, though since his opponents included the Puritans and Anabaptists, I believe it was, for their part; I am not as certain regarding the less radical Presbyterians. Much of what Hooker argued was well phrased and useful.
I recommend reading this if you have an interest in early Anglican theology. I should warn you though, as hinted above, if you are a Presbyterian you will find Hooker quite harsh. You should let him finish speaking and then address him when you know his whole argument and context – or better yet, just become a Lutheran.