“Of Unity in Religion”

The essay ‘Of Unity in Religion’ was published for the first time in the second edition of The

Essays in 1612. Unity in religion was a highly topical issue in the 16th and 17th centuries. When

dealing with this subject, it is especially the unity of the Church of England vis-à-vis the

Catholics and vis-à-vis Protestant sects that seems to be at the back of Bacon’s mind. What is

interesting to note is that while the essay deals with the importance of unity within the church, it

was the Anglican Church that caused a breach with the Roman Catholic Church. For a modern

reader Bacon’s magnanimous pursuit takes on a different aspect.

I will show that Bacon’s approach to religion is mainly pragmatic in this essay, in that it

focuses on the benefit of religion for the state. Secondly I will show that this pragmatic approach

is embedded in Bacon’s theological ideas. In connection with this it will appear that Bacon

Christianises classical ideas.

Bacon starts with emphasizing the importance of unity in religion, to subsequently deal

with different aspects of unity: consequences for people within and without the church; the

boundaries of unity (focussing on the limits of tolerance); and the various ways in which unity

can be achieved. In each of these parts Bacon’s pragmatism and religious inspiration go hand in

hand.

The importance of unity in religion in general

As for the pragmatic approach to religion, this appears directly from the opening sentence, where

Bacon shows the direct relation between unity of religion and a stable society: “Religion being

the chief band of human society, it is a happy thing when itself is well contained within the true

band of unity.” What strikes the reader in the following sentences is Bacon’s direct reference to
the “heathen” to make a point about Christianity. For Bacon continues: “[t]he quarrels and

divisions about religion were evils unknown to the heathen,” the reason being that “the religion

of the heathen consisted rather in rites and ceremonies, than in any constant belief.”1 Bacon

mentioning the fact that paganism did not know any divisions [i.e. quarrels] shows that he is used

to consulting classical literature when writing about important issues, even Christianity.

That Bacon’s pragmatic approach is embedded in theological ideas becomes at first clear

when Bacon explains why he actually needs to speak about unity of religion: the need for unity is

implied by the Christian religion, where the single God does not endure division. Bacon says in

this case: “[…] the true God hath this attribute, that he is a jealous God; and therefore his

worship and religion will endure no mixture nor partner.” And he continues: “We shall therefore

speak a few words concerning the unity of the church.” Bacon’s motive to write about unity of

religion thus appears to be informed by theological motives.

Fruits of unity

In Bacon’s discussion of the fruits of unity, it becomes clear that pragmatic and religious motives

cannot be separated. Before he starts discussing the two fruits of unity, Bacon mentions a

different fruit: “pleasing God,” which he calls “all in all.” Bacon appears to be really committed

to the God of the Bible here. In view of the nature of The Essays, it is logical that Bacon does not

work out this idea any further. Yet it shows the obviousness of Bacon’s dedication to God.

When Bacon distinguishes between two categories of fruits, for “those who are without”

and “those who are within the church,” he seems to aim at Anglicans on the one hand and
Roman Catholics and Puritan sects on the other hand, assuming that Bacon defines “the church”

as the Church of England.

The “fruits” for those who are without the church are mentioned first. In fact Bacon does

not speak about the fruits of unity, but rather about the consequences of divisions; discord is

considered as the greatest scandal. These divisions “keep” and “drive men out of the church.”

Bacon’s motive appears to be mainly pragmatic in that his speaking about divisions fits in with

the contemporary religious and political situation. This becomes even clearer from his

interpretation of the words of Jesus, Who warned people against false prophets. Bacon freely

quotes from the Scriptures here, inserting his own explanation: “And therefore, whensoever it

comes to that pass, that one saith Ecce in deserto, another saith Ecce in penetralibus; that is,

when some men seek Christ in the conventicles of heretics, and others in an outward face of a

church, that voice had need continually to sound in men’s ears Nolite exire, --Go not out.” Bacon

directly applies the words of Christ (that refer to the time of His second coming) to the

contemporary situation. The choice of this Bible verse could be better understood when taking

into account Bacon’s expectations of an imminent coming of the Kingdom of Christ.

Another example of Bacon directly applying a verse from the Scriptures to his own

situation is his quotation of the following words of Paul: “If an heathen come in, and hear you

speak with several tongues, will he not say that you are mad?” Paul wants to make clear here

that it is important that the Christians should translate their message, when speaking with several

tongues [i.e. in several languages]; otherwise it would cause non-believers to mock the Christian

faith. Bacon seems to connect these words to the contemporary situation, when he comments:

“And certainly it is a little better, when atheists and profane persons do hear of so many

discordant and contrary opinions in religion; it doth avert them from the church, and maketh
them to sit down in the chair of scorners.” Furthermore Bacon says about heretics: “for indeed

every sect of them hath a diverse posture or cringe by themselves, which cannot but move

derision in worldlings [non-believers, Vickers] and depraved politics [corrupt politicians,

Vickers] who are apt to contemn holy things.” Bacon’s pragmatic orientation again becomes

clear here.

The fruit of unity for “those who are within” is peace. Bacon works this out: “it [peace]

establisheth faith; it kindleth charity; the outward peace of the church distilleth into peace of

conscience; and it turns labours of writing and reading of controversies into treaties of

mortification and devotion.” What can be seen here is that Bacon pays attention both to the state

and the individual. Furthermore these words show a direct connection with the contemporary

situation and it can be said that Bacon criticizes controversial writings. In this sense these words

of Bacon again show a pragmatical approach to religion. Absence of controversy within the

church would bring about stability. Yet Bacon’s motives are not solely pragmatic: in using the

notions of charity and faith he appears to be have pure religious interests.

Boundaries of unity

When discussing the boundaries of unity, it becomes clear that Bacon chooses the via media. He

clearly unmasks two wrong ideas of unity. On the one hand there are “certain zelants [to whom]

all speech of pacification is odious;” for those people the only thing that counts is obsessively

adhering to a certain group, diversity is not part of their vocabulary. The other extreme is

covering any division with the cloak of charity, and thus making concessions towards the

essential truths of the Christian faith, as he puts it: “certain Laodiceans and lukewarm persons
think they may accommodate points of religion by middle ways […] as if they would make an

arbitrement between God and man.”

Both extremes need to be avoided. What is important is to clearly distinguish between

essential issues and things indifferent or adiaphora. There is an interesting link here between the

Anglican Church and Bacon’s advocacy of the via media. As has already been discussed in the

introduction, it is in the nature of the Church of England to choose an intermediate position,

having to defend her position against the power of the Roman-Catholic Church on the one hand,

and the dissenters or Puritans on the other hand. In distinguishing between things indifferent and

essential issues Bacon advocates the via media. As has been described in the first chapter, Bacon

thought that the conflict between Roman Catholics and Puritan sects was often about indifferent

things. Both parties needed to leave their extremities and focus on essential things.

Bacon clearly has pragmatic motives here, but this political engagement goes hand in

hand with his heart for the Christian faith. For he points at the key being the words of “Our

Saviour Himself”: “He that is not with us is against us; and again, He that is not against us is

with us.” Bacon explains that it is essential that the words of Jesus assume a right judgement

with respect to “the points fundamental and of substance” and “points not merely of faith, but of

opinion, order, or good intention.”

Bacon further develops the above-mentioned “extremes to be avoided”. When he goes on

to discuss two kinds of false controversies and two sorts of false unity, he again quotes from the

Scriptures and St. Augustine, thus sustaining his undeniable political plea for the via media with

religious arguments.
Means of procuring unity

The third part of the essay deals with the means of procuring unity. What draws the attention

here is that the striving for unity may not go past the laws of charity and of human society.

Bacon uses the image of the sword as a means to protect religion and he says: “there be two

swords amongst Christians, the spiritual and the temporal.” The third sword (which he calls

Mahomet’s sword) is reprehensible, encompassing the use of violence. Bacon says that violence

is only allowed “in cases of overt scandal, blasphemy, or intermixture against the state.” This

indicates again the importance of the state in religious affairs. Bacon mentions St.

Bartholomew’s Massacre and the gun powder plot as examples of Catholics using the third

sword. He also refers to Anabaptists, extreme Protestants causing a lot of tumult.

Again Bacon’s political motives go hand in hand with religious arguments. For Bacon

continues to explain why violence may not be used, being “but to dash the first table against the

second; and so to consider men as Christians, as we forget that they are men.” Furthermore he

compares these murderous activities to “bringing down the Holy Ghost instead of the likeness of

a dove in the shape of a vulture or raven.” Bacon also quotes from classical authors here, such as

the poet Lucretius.

Bacon concludes his essay by saying that the church and other Christian “learnings”

should “damn and send to hell forever” those murderous activities done in the name of

Christianity. He again uses biblical quotes and a quote from a church father to underline the

uselessness and wrong motives of violence. It is interesting that Bacon allotted the prince and the

church each a different task, serving the same aim of procuring unity of religion. Whereas the
church was responsible for education, the prince had to use his sword2 and learnings, both

Christian and moral.

Conclusion

As I have shown, pragmatic motives seem to be the red thread of this essay, in that Bacon

focuses on the benefit of unity of religion for the state. However, Bacon’s motives were not

solely pragmatic. Bacon’s argument is mostly twofold: his practical approach to the issue of

unity of religion is sustained by his religious convictions. Especially when Bacon deals with the

fruits of unity and the boundaries of unity he is mainly directed at the state and he makes a clear

connection with the contemporary religious situation. It has also appeared that Bacon’s ideas

about religion can be defined as typically Anglican.

One could object and say that Bacon’s references to the Christian faith serve merely as

means of persuasion, but this interpretation would do no justice to Bacon as a believer. Bacon’s

Christian and political motives go hand in hand. This idea fits in with the rest of Bacon’s work.

And it is also characteristic of Renaissance thought.

So far, the essay has been analysed on the relation between religious and political

motives. As already mentioned in the beginning, the paradox of this essay is that Bacon’s

arduous plea for unity in the Church is at least peculiar. Considering the fact that it was the

Church of England which had caused division, by breaking with the Roman Catholic Church,

Bacon’s religious arguments tend to lose their credibility.