ABSTRACT
The focus of this chapter is to explore and question the accepted belief that Hooker was ‘the champion of reason’, a man who sought God and found God primarily through the powers of the intellect and who promoted this approach through his work. This will be done through a particular study of Hooker’s beliefs regarding the doctrine of assurance and certainty – an area of his theology that has been interpreted in differing ways. This is not an example of diametrically opposed interpretations fighting for supremacy but rather more nuanced differences producing diverse understandings. But it will again illustrate how Hooker can be and is misread, especially by those who approach him with specific categories in mind. It will also demonstrate both how essential it is to understand Hooker’s methods in order to interpret his writings, and the crucial need to respect the text, even at the cost of surrendering certainty.
