Leclerc, Jean

Jean Leclerc, Latin Johannes Clericus, (born March 19, 1657, Geneva—died Jan. 8, 1736, Amsterdam), encyclopaedist and biblical scholar who espoused advanced principles of exegesis (interpretation) and theological method.

Educated at Geneva and also in France at Grenoble and Saumur (all noted for a radical approach to biblical and patristic documents), Leclerc broke with scholastic Calvinism. In 1684 he was appointed to the Remonstrant Seminary faculty at Amsterdam. He made a lasting contribution to biblical studies as editor of three encyclopaedias: Bibliothèque universelle et historique (26 vol., 1686–93), Bibliothèque choisie (28 vol., 1703–13), and Bibliothèque ancienne et moderne (29 vol., 1714–30). His views on the Scriptures included the denial of Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch as well as of the divine inspiration of Ecclesiastes, Job, Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon.

In addition to Harmonia Evangelica (1699), Leclerc also wrote commentaries on the Pentateuch (1699), a translation of the New Testament (1703), and commentaries on other Old Testament books.