Reluctant Revolutionary: The Life and Legacy of Pastor Andrew Eliot (1718–1778) of Boston

Andrew Eliot (1718-1778) was one of the most prominent Boston leaders in the second half of the eighteenth century. As minister of one of the city’s largest Congregational churches, his was an important political as well as religious voice into the earliest years of the American War for Independence. But Eliot has often been neglected or misunderstood.

Join us for this virtual program with John S. Oakes, who has published a revealing new biography of Eliot. Oakes draws on multiple sources to offer a fresh portrait of the Boston minister as: a moderate but orthodox Calvinist who maintained a consistent witness at a time of theological turmoil; a prosperous family man who helped the lay the foundations for future generations of Eliots among the Boston “Brahmin”; a “reluctant revolutionary” whose devotion to Protestant British ideals prevented him from embracing the patriot cause in the War for Independence until hostilities were already under way; and a dedicated pastor who was one of very few ministers to choose to endure the hardships of Boston under British occupation.

A cautious and irenic leader, Eliot also provides an outstanding example of a leader who maintained his personal integrity and a wide network of diverse connections, despite ministering in a highly polarized intellectual and political climate.

This event is free and open to all, but registration is required via this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2017773449841/WN_mN-1Yv1PQTGMOgHsvTO4rA

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Email any questions to programs@14beacon.org.

SPEAKER BIO

Dr. John S. Oakes, is a research fellow of Wycliffe College, Toronto. He is author of Conservative Revolutionaries: Transformation and Tradition in the Religious and Political Thought of Charles Chauncy and Jonathan Mayhew (Pickwick, 2016).