Pastoral Platonism in the Writings of Henry Hallywell (1641–1703)

Abstract

Henry Hallywell was a minor Cambridge Platonist who was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, while Ralph Cudworth was master, and Henry More was a fellow. Hallywell's tutor was George Rust, and he was responsible for preserving and publishing several of Rust's discourses. Hallywell was later associated with Benjamin Whichcote's centre of liberal preaching at St Lawrence Jewry in the City of London. All of Hallywell's writings show the influence of these Cambridge Platonist authors. He accepted Cambridge Platonist ideas on the immortality of the soul, the deiform life, enthusiasm and atheism, the paranormal, millenarianism and the public and private usefulness of rational religion. His special contribution to Cambridge Platonism was his simplified presentation of the circle's main theological themes in his pastoral role as a parish priest. This introduction to Hallywell's published and manuscript writings complements the author's account of his career as a Sussex clergyman, which is published elsewhere.