The priest and religious poet George Herbert (1593-1633) has been largely regarded as a representative of via media Anglicanism, an Anglo-Catholic, Puritan and sectarian. With reference to the collection of poems published in 1633 under the title »The Temple«, the study shows that Herbert systematically exploited the tensions existing between the rival philosophical and theological/ecclesiological currents of his day to criticize the imminent schism threatening to split the Church of England under the Stuart kings. Accordingly, he sees his Temple as an ideal and individual church based on dialogue and open to all.