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May 24
Aldersgate Day, the "Toleration" Act, William Whewell, Abraham Geiger, and William Lloyd Garrison
David Barnhart
May 24, 2025
Lyme Regis, 2011. Own photo.
Today in 1689, the “Toleration Act” went into effect in England, giving some Protestants—but not Roman Catholics—freedom of religion even if they disagreed with the Church of England. It would take several more pieces of legislation over the next century to approach something like actual Freedom of Religion.
Today in 1738, John Wesley had his “heart warming experience” at Aldersgate. Though John and Charles Wesley had already started the Methodist movement, this event shifted John’s theology toward a deeper understanding of grace.
Today is the birthday, in 1794, of William Whewell, a priest and scientist who came up with many of the scientific terms we use today, including, fittingly, “scientist” and “linguist.” Like Kepler, who I mentioned yesterday, his theology was that truth is knowable because God’s creation is intelligible. His scholarly achievements are too numerous to list.
Today is also the birthday, in 1810, of Abraham Geiger, a German founder of Reform Judaism. His approach to Judaism drew from historical-critical approaches to the Hebrew Bible, and he and his fellow Reformers sought, among other things, to make Judaism more intelligible to modern people.
Today marks the death, in 1879, of William Lloyd Garrison, journalist, abolitionist, and supporter of women’s suffrage. He founded and edited an abolitionist newspaper called The Liberator, and remained outspoken even in the face of death threats and contracts on his life.
Reflection:
William Whewell wrote:
“Every failure is a step to success. Every detection of what is false directs us towards what is true: every trial exhausts some tempting form of error. Not only so; but scarcely any attempt is entirely a failure; scarcely any theory, the result of steady thought, is altogether false; no tempting form of Error is without some latent charm derived from Truth.”
Abraham Geiger wrote:
"Draw from the past, live in the present, work for the future!"
William Lloyd Garrison wrote this about the Bible:
“To say that everything in the bible is to be believed , simply because it is found in that volume, is equally absurd and pernicious... To discard a portion of scripture is not necessarily to reject the truth, but may be the highest evidence that one can give of his love of truth.”
And he wrote this about arguing with those who supported enslavement:
“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat a single inch — and I will be heard.”
And:
“With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.”
Prayer: God, help us to save our breath when we are tempted to throw our pearls before swine, and help us to be tireless in pursuit of the truth. Amen.