LATITUDINARIANS. A term which came into use about the year 1670 to describe those who took a " broad view " of Christian doctrine and of the relationship between Christian Churches. The Latitudinarians were forerunners of the later school of divines known as Broad Churchmen (q.v.). They attached importance to the moral, rather than to the doctrinal character of Christ ianity. " In words, in modes of speech, and generally in their mode of thinking." says John Hunt. " they are all in some respects at variance with the words, and Pre quently with the tone of the Articles and formularies of the Church of England. It is not that they teach what might be called new truth, but that they look at the old truth in new ways. They were men of progress, who did not think it a sin to differ either from the Fathers or the Reformers. Other parties did this, and denied that they did it. The Latitudinarians, on the other hand, recognized such differences in different ages, as the neces sary conditions of mental and spiritual development." But in spite of the general agreement of Latitudinarians, two schools may be distinguished, one of which was more philosophical than the other. The Latitudinarians have included : Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715), Bishop of Salis bury; William Chillingworth (1602-1644), Prebendary of Salisbury; Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688), Regius Professor of Hebrew at Cambridge: Benjamin Hoadiy (1676-1761), Bishop of Winchester: Henry More (1614-1687); John Smith (1618-1652); Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667), Bishop of Down and Connor; John Tillotson (1630-1694): Benjamin Whichcote (1609-1683); Provost of King's College, Cam bridge; Daniel Whitby (163S-1726); Precentor of Salisbury Cathedral; and John Wilkins (1614-1672), Bishop of Chester. M. W. Patterson explains Latitudinarianism
as being due to two tendencies. " A century of religious strife and religions confusion had produced in many men a sense of sheer weariness; they were willing to drop the shibboleths of contending factions and ground them selves on what they considered to be " fundamental Christianity." This sense of weariness was reinforced by the appeal to reason; strife about " non-fundamental " matters was not only wearisome, but also seemed to many men irrational. The appeal to reason and the advocacy of toleration for Protestant Dissenters were the chief features of Latitudinarianism." The explanation rather seems to suggest that the movement was produced by the peculiar circumstances of a particular age. The fact seems to be that Latitudinarianism, in the best sense of the word, goes back to the distant past, being a gradual, but natural and inevitable growth from the seeds of the Gospel. See John Hunt, Rel. Thought in England, 1870 73; A. I. Fitzroy, Dogma and the Church of England, 1891; M. W. Patterson. Hist.; the D.N.B.