Benjamin, was born at Westerham in Kent in 1676. He was made bishop of Bangor in 1715, of Hereford in 1721, of Salisbury in 1723, and of Winchester in 1734. He died at Chelsea in 1761.

He attracted attention at first by his controversy with Bishop Atterbury in 1709. At this time the Tory party, which he opposed, were in favour at court, so that no patronage was to be expected from them; and he owed the rectory of Streatham to private favour. The House of Commons, however, were so pleased with the manner in which he defended himself against the Tory Atterbury, that Hoadley's name was mentioned in the address to the Queen as a champion of liberty, both civil and religious. He developed his principles in his tract on the Measure of Obedience to the Civil Magistrate. But in 1714 Queen Anne was succeeded by George I., and a revolution now took place in the court politics. In 1715 Hoadley was raised to the bishopric of Bangor; and in 1717 the celebrated Bangorian Controversy arose. It began by Hoadley's publication of his views on the text, "My kingdom is not of this world;" in regard to which he maintained that Christ had left behind him no such authority as that claimed by churches, and that this was the best way of answering the arrogant pretensions of the Church of Rome. These views gave great offence both to High Churchmen and Dissenters. He was attacked from all quarters. William Law is considered his ablest antagonist. The controversy raged for three years without any immediate result. From his Discourses on the Terms of Acceptance, it is obvious that he rejects the five points of Calvinism. He has been regarded as the leader of the Rational divines of the Church of England, and as verging towards Unitarianism. He was a friend of Dr Samuel Clarke, of whose life, writings, and character he wrote an account. He also wrote an account of the Nature and End of the Sacrament, and a Letter to Clement Chevalier.