Edward Hawarden (b. in Lancashire

Lancashire

Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

, England, 9 April 1662; d. in London, 23 April 1735) was an English Roman Catholic theologian and controversialist.

Life

The Hawardens were recusants who maintained domestic chapels in their residences in Appleton

Appleton

-People:* Alistair Appleton, British television presenter* Charles W. Appleton, of GE* Colin Appleton, footballer* Daniel Appleton, American publisher, 1800s founder of D...

 and Widnes

Widnes

Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...

. Edward, after a course at the English College, Douai

English College, Douai

The English College, Douai was a Catholic seminary associated with the University of Douai . It was established in about 1561, and was suppressed in 1793...

, remained there as a classical tutor, and after his ordination (7 June 1686), as professor of philosophy.

In 1688, having taken the bachelor's degree at the University of Douai

University of Douai

The University of Douai is a former university in Douai, France. With a Middle Ages heritage of scholar activities in Douai, the university was established in 1559 and lectures started in 1562. It closed from 1795 to 1808...

, he spent two months as tutor of divinity at Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...

, which James II of England

James II of England

James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...

 purposed making a seat of Catholic education. The impending revolution against James forced him to return to Douai, where he soon proceeded D.D. and was installed in the chair of divinity. In 1702 he was persuaded to take part in the concurrence for one of the royal chair of divinity in the university, but the influence of a hostile minority secured the installation of another candidate by mandatory letters from the court. Shortly afterwards complaints were lodged at Rome that the Douai professors, Dr. Hawarden in particular, were propagating the errors of Jansenism

Jansenism

Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...

, but official investigation completely exonerated all.

In 1707 Hawarden left Douai to take charge of the mission of Gilligate, Durham

Durham

Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...

, and later Aldcliffe Hall, near Lancaster

Lancaster, Lancashire

Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...

. Brief entries in the Tyldesley Diary

Tyldesley Diary

The Tyldesley diary was a diary kept by Thomas Tyldesley of Fox Hall, Lancashire , a Catholic recusant and Jacobite sympathiser, between 1712 and 1714.-The diary:...

 give an idea of his daily life until the seizure of Aldcliffe Hall in 1717, after which he moved to London, probably on his appointment as controversy-writer.

Dr. Hawarden received the thanks of the University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

 for his defence of the Blessed Trinity in the famous conference with Dr. Samuel Clarke

Samuel Clarke

thumb|right|200px|Samuel ClarkeSamuel Clarke was an English philosopher and Anglican clergyman.-Early life and studies:...

(1719).

Works

Among his works are:

• "The True Church of Christ, shewed by Concurrent Testimonies of Scripture and Primitive Tradition" (London, 1714);
• "The Rule of Faith truly stated in a new and easy Method" (London, 1721);
• "Charity and Truth or Catholicks not uncharitable in saying that none are saved out of the Catholick Communion, because the Rule is not Universal" (Brussels, 1728);
• "An Answer to Dr. Clarke and Mr. Whiston concerning the Divinity of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (London, 1729);

a collective edition of his works was published at Dublin in 1808.