Jean Le Clerc (theologian)

This article is about the theologian. For other people with this name, see Jean Leclerc.

Jean Leclerc (March 19 1657 in Geneva - January 8 1736 in Amsterdam) was a Swiss theologian and biblical scholar.

Leclerc is famous for promoting exegesis, or critical interpretation of the Bible, and was a radical of his age. He parted with Calvinism over his interpretations and lefte Geneva for that reason. He went to London in 1682, but moved to Amsterdam the next year due to political instability. There he taught at Remonstrant College.

Leclerc designed and compiled three encyclopedias: Bibliothèque universelle et historique (1686–1693), Bibliothèque choisie (1703–1713), and Bibliothèque ancienne et moderne (1714–1730). He had much in common with philosopher John Locke, whose works he included in his encyclopedias.