As you read in Unit I the Seventeenth Century was a period of religious controversy. Do you find such controversy reflected in the poetry of Herbert? Does he keep himself above such controversies? ( MEG 101 ) ( GEORGE HERBERT )

Herbert was a deeply religious man and his poetry reflects his personal religious beliefs and experiences. While he was aware of the religious controversies of his time, he often kept himself above them and did not engage in polemical writing. Instead, his poetry focuses on his own spiritual journey, exploring his relationship with God and the struggle to reconcile his human weaknesses with his faith.

However, Herbert's poetry does reflect some of the theological debates of his time, particularly regarding the nature of grace and the role of good works in salvation. In some of his poems, he grapples with the question of whether good works are necessary for salvation or whether salvation is a gift of grace from God that cannot be earned through good deeds alone.

Overall, while Herbert's poetry is not overtly polemical, it does reflect some of the religious controversies of his time through his personal reflections on faith and salvation.