Popery: The Accommodation of Christianity to the Natural Heart

by Edward Hoare

"Popery: The Accommodation of Christianity to the Natural Heart" by Edward Hoare is a theological lecture delivered in the mid-19th century, specifically in 1848. The book explores the dangers of Roman Catholic practices, referred to as "Popery," and how these practices appeal to the unregenerate human heart through various modifications of Christian truth. The work is a critical examination of the interplay between authentic Christianity and the adaptations made by Popery to accommodate human inclinations and desires. In this lecture, Hoare delves into the inherent struggles of the natural heart when confronted with the Gospel and highlights the tendency of individuals to seek assurance and peace through external rituals and interventions rather than genuine transformation of the heart. He argues that Popery modifies core Christian principles to create a false sense of reconciliation and spirituality, which does not fulfill the deeper spiritual needs for true holiness and divine relationship. Hoare emphasizes that the remedy for such tendencies lies in a return to the simple, sovereign grace and truth found in authentic Christianity, urging believers to embrace the transformative power of faith in Christ alone.