This dissertation focuses on the life and work of the Reformed minister Josua van Iperen (1726 - 1780), who picked his way through the opposing forces of orthodoxy and Enlightenment. He can be... Show moreThis dissertation focuses on the life and work of the Reformed minister Josua van Iperen (1726 - 1780), who picked his way through the opposing forces of orthodoxy and Enlightenment. He can be seen as an exponent of the large body of moderately enlightened ministers in the Republic. The first part of this dissertation (chapters one to five) will look at his life and career as a minister. The second part (chapters six to fifteen) will deal with his perception of his duties as a university-trained minister of religion, and also cover his wide variety of interests. The conclusion can be that in van Iperen we encounter a curious mixture of ‘old’ and ‘new’, of traditionalism and a certain measure of Enlightenment. This makes van Iperen, as representative of a broad class of reformed ministers in the eighteenth century Republic, a very interesting case study that can serve to clarify the multifaceted relationship between faith and Enlightenment. Show less
