Francis Ellingwood Abbot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Francis Ellingwood Abbot, (Boston, November 6, 1836 – October 23, 1903) was a philosopher and theologian who sought to reconstruct theology in accord with scientific method.
As a spokesman for "free religion", he asserted that Christianity, understood as based on the lordship of Christ, is no longer tenable. He rejected all dogma and reliance on Scriptures or creeds, teaching the truth is open to every individual.
Abbot graduated from Harvard University and the Meadville Theological School. He served Unitarian churches in Dover, N.H., and Toledo, Ohio, but left the ministry in 1868 to write, edit, and teach. Abbot's theological position was stated in "Scientific Theism" (1885) and "The Way of Agnosticism" (1890).
He committed suicide by taking poison at his wife's gravesite at an anniversary of her death.
