Robert Turner (divine)

Robert Turner (fl. 1656) was an English clergyman, astrologer, and translator of occult texts, active during the mid-17th century. He is best remembered for his work in making esoteric knowledge more accessible to an English-speaking audience.

Turner’s most significant contribution was his translation of Henry Cornelius Agrippa’s Three Books of Occult Philosophy (1651 and subsequent editions). This translation was crucial in disseminating Agrippa's complex and comprehensive overview of Renaissance magic and natural philosophy to a wider readership. Before Turner’s work, Agrippa's work was largely only accessible in Latin.

Beyond Agrippa, Turner translated other important works of magic and alchemy, including works attributed to Paracelsus and Johannes Trithemius. He also authored his own texts on astrology and divination.

His work is characterized by a strong belief in the power of nature and the efficacy of ritual magic and astrology, within a context broadly aligned with Christian belief. He saw these practices as ways to understand and interact with the divine plan for the universe. Turner viewed the natural world as being infused with spiritual power and that humans, through knowledge and ritual, could harness this power for beneficial purposes. His translations played a pivotal role in the early development and dissemination of occult thought in England.