 |
Josiah TuckerWelsh priest, economist and publicist
Date of Birth: 12.1713Год
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Josiah Tucker
Josiah Tucker was a Welsh priest, economist, and publicist. He was born in December 1713 in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire. His father inherited a small estate near Aberystwyth and sent Josiah to Ruthin School in Denbighshire. Tucker received a scholarship to St John's College, Oxford, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1736, a Master of Arts degree in 1736, and a Doctorate in Divinity in 1755.
In 1737, Josiah was appointed as a vicar at St. Stephen's Church in Bristol. After serving two years, he became the incumbent of All Saints Church in the same city. He gained a minor canonry position and caught the attention of Bishop Joseph Butler. When Reverend Alexander Stopford Catcott passed away, Tucker was appointed as the chancellor in the vicar's house at St. Stephen's Church.
In 1754, politician Robert Nugent started representing the interests of Bristol, with Tucker's support. Nugent helped Tucker advance in his career, and he became a prebendary, allowing him to receive income from a church position. On July 13, 1758, Tucker was appointed as the dean of Gloucester. A year later, the former dean, William Warburton, became a bishop. There were rumors that Warburton disliked Tucker for turning religion into a business and trading religious services.
Tucker's first wife was Francis Woodward of Grimsbury's widow, and he raised her stepson Richard Woodward, who later became the dean of Clogher and the bishop of Cloyne. In 1781, Josiah married his housekeeper, Mrs. Crowe.
Contributions and Beliefs
Tucker's first published work was a sharp critique of Methodists. Over time, he became involved in debates that arose in 1771 over proposed changes to the "Thirty-Nine Articles," a summary of the beliefs of the Church of England. Tucker defended the English Church against the ideas of nonconforming clergyman Andrew Kippis but also advocated for some relaxation in religious morality.
In the field of political theory, Josiah opposed the integration of the social contract theory popular among many influential writers of the time. In 1781, he published a treatise on civil government, where he criticized the principles of John Locke. In 1785, Tucker joined the debates on trade between Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Legacy
Josiah Tucker passed away on November 4, 1799. He was buried in the southern part of Gloucester Cathedral, where a monument was erected in his honor.
