The Reasonableness of Christianity

E56377

The Reasonableness of Christianity is a 1695 theological treatise by John Locke arguing that the core of Christian faith is a simple, rational belief in Jesus as the Messiah rather than adherence to complex doctrinal systems.

Observed surface forms (1)


Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Christian apologetic work
book
theological treatise
arguesAgainst overly elaborate theological systems
requirement of assent to numerous speculative doctrines for salvation
author John Locke
centralClaim The Reasonableness of Christianity self-linksurface differs
surface form: Christianity is fundamentally reasonable and accessible to ordinary understanding

complex doctrinal systems are not essential to Christian faith
the core of Christian faith is belief that Jesus is the Messiah
countryOfOrigin England
criticizedBy some orthodox theologians of the late 17th century
emphasizes belief in Jesus as the Christ
moral obedience as part of Christian faith
simplicity of the Gospel message
firstPublisher London, England
surface form: London
followedBy Vindications of The Reasonableness of Christianity
genre Christian apologetics
religious philosophy
hasForm prose
historicalPeriod late 17th century
influenced debates on natural religion and revelation
later liberal Protestant theology
influencedBy Locke's empiricist epistemology
biblical exegesis of the New Testament
intendedAudience literate lay Christians
theologians and clergy
language English
notableTheme accessibility of Christian doctrine to common people
limits of human understanding in theology
moral transformation as evidence of genuine faith
philosophicalContext Enlightenment thought
early modern philosophy
positionOnFaith faith is assent to reasonable testimony about Jesus as Messiah
positionOnReason reason and revelation are compatible
positionOnSalvation salvation depends on sincere belief in Jesus as the Christ
positionOnScripture Scripture presents a clear and simple requirement for faith
publicationYear 1695
relatedWorkByAuthor A Letter Concerning Toleration
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
subject Christian doctrine
Christianity
rational religion
religious epistemology
theology
theologicalPosition Protestant
latitudinarian
rationalist approach to revelation

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

The Reasonableness of Christianity centralClaim The Reasonableness of Christianity self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Christianity is fundamentally reasonable and accessible to ordinary understanding
John Locke notableWork The Reasonableness of Christianity