Henry Parry Liddon
Encyclopedia
Henry Parry Liddon was an English
theologian.
, near Eastleigh
, Hampshire
. He was educated at King's College School
, and at Christ Church, Oxford
, where he graduated, taking a second class, in 1850. As vice principal of the theological
college at Cuddesdon
(1854–1859) he wielded considerable influence, and, on returning to Oxford as vice-principal of St Edmund Hall
, became a force among the undergraduates, exercising his influence in opposition to the liberal reaction against Tractarianism, which had set in after John Henry Newman's conversion to Catholicism in 1845.
In 1864 Walter Kerr Hamilton
, the Bishop of Salisbury
, whose examining chaplain
Liddon had been, appointed him prebendary
of Salisbury Cathedral
. In 1866 he delivered his Bampton Lectures
on the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. From that time his fame as a preacher was established. In 1870 he was made canon of St Paul's Cathedral
, London. He had before this published Some Words for God against the scepticism of the day. His preaching at St Paul's soon attracted vast crowds. The afternoon sermon, which fell to the canon in residence, had usually been delivered in the choir, but soon after Liddon's appointment it became necessary to preach the sermon under the dome, where from 3000 to 4000 persons used to gather to hear him.
Liddon was praised for grasp of his subject, clarity and lucidity, use of illustration, vividness of imagination, elegance of diction, and sympathy with the intellectual position of those whom he addressed. In the arrangement of his material, he is thought to have imitated the French preachers of the age of Louis XIV
.
In 1870 Liddon had also been made Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
at Oxford
. The combination of the two appointments gave him extensive influence over the Church of England
. With Dean Church he restored the influence of the Tractarian school, and he succeeded in popularizing the opinions which, in the hands of Edward Bouverie Pusey
and John Keble
, had appealed to thinkers and scholars. His opposed the Church Discipline Act of 1874, and denounced the Bulgaria
n atrocities of 1876.
In 1882 he resigned his professorship and travelled in Palestine
and Egypt
; and showed his interest in the Old Catholic movement by visiting Döllinger
at Munich
. In 1886 he became chancellor of St Paul's, and declined more than one offer of a bishopric. Liddon was a friend of Lewis Carroll
, who accompanied him on a trip to Moscow
where Liddon made approaches to leading Russian Orthodox clergy, seeking closer links between them and the Church of England
.
He died at the height of his reputation, having nearly completed a biography of Pusey, whom he admired; this work was completed after his death by John Octavius Johnston
and Robert Wilson
. Liddon's influence during his life was due to his personal fascination and his pulpit oratory rather than to his intellect. As a theologian his outlook was old-fashioned; to the last he maintained the narrow standpoint of Pusey and Keble, in defiance of modern thought and modern scholarship. The publication in 1889 of Lux Mundi edited by Charles Gore
, a series of essays attempting to harmonize Anglican Catholic
doctrine with modern thought, showed that even at Pusey House, established as the citadel of Puseyism at Oxford, the principles of Pusey were being departed from. He was the last of the classical pulpit orators of the English Church, the last great popular exponent of the traditional Anglican orthodoxy.
lectures entitled Some Elements of Religion (1870), and a collection of Essays and Addresses on such themes as Buddhism, Dante
, etc.
Liddon was chosen to preach to the International Medical Congress at St. Paul's Cathedral in London in 1881. During the sermon, he addressed the subject of Darwinian evolution, which was a point of great debate among leading scientists and physicians of the day:
He is also noted for his translation and abridgement of Rosmini
's Five Wounds of the Holy Church.
Attribution
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
theologian.
Biography
The son of a naval captain, he was born at North StonehamNorth Stoneham
North Stoneham is a settlement and ecclesiastical parish in south Hampshire, England. It was formerly an ancient estate and manor. Until the nineteenth century, it was a rural community comprising a number of scattered hamlets, including Middle Stoneham, North End, and Bassett Green, and...
, near Eastleigh
Eastleigh
Eastleigh is a railway town in Hampshire, England, and the main town in the Eastleigh borough which is part of Southampton Urban Area. The town lies between Southampton and Winchester, and is part of the South Hampshire conurbation...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He was educated at King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
, and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, where he graduated, taking a second class, in 1850. As vice principal of the theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
college at Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon is an east Oxfordshire village about east of Oxford. It is notable as the location of Ripon College Cuddesdon....
(1854–1859) he wielded considerable influence, and, on returning to Oxford as vice-principal of St Edmund Hall
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
, became a force among the undergraduates, exercising his influence in opposition to the liberal reaction against Tractarianism, which had set in after John Henry Newman's conversion to Catholicism in 1845.
In 1864 Walter Kerr Hamilton
Walter Kerr Hamilton
Walter Kerr Hamilton was the Anglican Bishop of Salisbury from 27 March 1854 to 1 August 1869.He was born in 1808, educated at Eton College, tutored by Thomas Arnold, and then attended Christ Church College, University of Oxford, where he took a first class degree in Greats. He was elected to a...
, the Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
, whose examining chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
Liddon had been, appointed him prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is an Anglican cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture....
. In 1866 he delivered his Bampton Lectures
Bampton Lectures
The Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford, England, were founded by a bequest of John Bampton,. They have taken place since 1780.They were a series of annual lectures; since the turn of the 20th century they have typically been biennial. They continue to concentrate on Christian theological...
on the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. From that time his fame as a preacher was established. In 1870 he was made canon of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, London. He had before this published Some Words for God against the scepticism of the day. His preaching at St Paul's soon attracted vast crowds. The afternoon sermon, which fell to the canon in residence, had usually been delivered in the choir, but soon after Liddon's appointment it became necessary to preach the sermon under the dome, where from 3000 to 4000 persons used to gather to hear him.
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
.
In 1870 Liddon had also been made Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
The position of Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture was established at the University of Oxford in 1847. The professorship was instituted by John Ireland, Dean of Westminster from 1816 until his death in 1842, who acquired considerable riches during his ecclesiastical career...
at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. The combination of the two appointments gave him extensive influence over the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. With Dean Church he restored the influence of the Tractarian school, and he succeeded in popularizing the opinions which, in the hands of Edward Bouverie Pusey
Edward Bouverie Pusey
Edward Bouverie Pusey was an English churchman and Regius Professor of Hebrew at Christ Church, Oxford. He was one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement.-Early years:...
and John Keble
John Keble
John Keble was an English churchman and poet, one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement, and gave his name to Keble College, Oxford.-Early life:...
, had appealed to thinkers and scholars. His opposed the Church Discipline Act of 1874, and denounced the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n atrocities of 1876.
In 1882 he resigned his professorship and travelled in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
; and showed his interest in the Old Catholic movement by visiting Döllinger
Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger
Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger was a German theologian, Catholic priest and church historian who rejected the dogma of papal infallibility...
at Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. In 1886 he became chancellor of St Paul's, and declined more than one offer of a bishopric. Liddon was a friend of Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
, who accompanied him on a trip to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
where Liddon made approaches to leading Russian Orthodox clergy, seeking closer links between them and the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
He died at the height of his reputation, having nearly completed a biography of Pusey, whom he admired; this work was completed after his death by John Octavius Johnston
John Octavius Johnston
John Octavius Johnston was a British Anglican priest and theologian.-Life:Johnston was born in Barnstaple, Devon and educated at Barnstaple Grammar School, before studying at Keble College, Oxford from 1874 to 1879...
and Robert Wilson
Robert Wilson (priest)
Robert James Wilson was an English Anglican priest and academic, who was Warden of Keble College, Oxford from 1894 until his death.-Life:...
. Liddon's influence during his life was due to his personal fascination and his pulpit oratory rather than to his intellect. As a theologian his outlook was old-fashioned; to the last he maintained the narrow standpoint of Pusey and Keble, in defiance of modern thought and modern scholarship. The publication in 1889 of Lux Mundi edited by Charles Gore
Charles Gore
Charles Gore was a British theologian and Anglican bishop.-Early life and education:Gore was the third son of the Honourable Charles Alexander Gore, and brother of the fourth Earl of Arran...
, a series of essays attempting to harmonize Anglican Catholic
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
doctrine with modern thought, showed that even at Pusey House, established as the citadel of Puseyism at Oxford, the principles of Pusey were being departed from. He was the last of the classical pulpit orators of the English Church, the last great popular exponent of the traditional Anglican orthodoxy.
Works
Besides the works mentioned, Liddon published several volumes of sermons, including a book on sermons on the Magnificat, a volume of LentLent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
lectures entitled Some Elements of Religion (1870), and a collection of Essays and Addresses on such themes as Buddhism, Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
, etc.
Liddon was chosen to preach to the International Medical Congress at St. Paul's Cathedral in London in 1881. During the sermon, he addressed the subject of Darwinian evolution, which was a point of great debate among leading scientists and physicians of the day:
He is also noted for his translation and abridgement of Rosmini
Rosmini
Rosmini can refer to:* Antonio Rosmini-Serbati - Roman Catholic Priest and Philosopher* Rosmini College - New Zealand Integrated single-sex boys secondary school...
's Five Wounds of the Holy Church.
External links
- Liddon's works online
- Canon Liddon: A Memoir with his five last sermons (1890)
Attribution