Richard Hooker (c1553-1600)

Often regarded as the supreme Anglican theologian and the supposed originator of the 'via-media'.  Hooker was, however, reformed in theology.

Summary

• c1553 – born near Exeter
• 1567 – sponsored by Bishop Jewell for a clerkship at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
• 1577 – became a fellow of Corpus
• 1579 – appointed lecturer in Hebrew
• c1581 – ordained

Shortly afterward Hooker was ordained and had to resign from Corpus.

• 1584 Presented to living of Drayton-Beauchamp.
• 1585 Appointed Master of the Temple where he entered into his famous dialogue with the radical puritan Walter Travers. Hooker began to write his great work The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity.
• 1591 Presented to living of Boscombe.
• 1594 First four books of Ecclesiastical Polity were published
• 1595 Presented by the Queen to the living of Bishopsbourne
• 1957 Book 5 was published
• 1600 Hooker died on 2nd November
• Books 6,7 & 8 were not published until after Hooker’s death and are apparently incomplete.

Richard Hooker by C. Sydney Carter

Published by Church Book Room Press

• Introduction
• HIs Marriage
• Ecclesiastical Polity
• His Ecclesiastical position
• Closing Years
• Character

Articles on Hooker

• Hooker's Theological Method and Modern Anglicanism. Churchman article by Nigel Atkinson.

• Richard Hooker - Reformed Theologian of the English Church. Cross†Way article by Nigel Atkinson.

• Richard Hooker - Evangelical Theologian of the English Church. Cross†Way article by Nigel Atkinson.

• The Quest for the Historical Hooker. Churchman article (1966) by John Booty.

• Richard Hooker’s Doctrine of Justification - Martin Foord (Churchman 114/1 - 2000).