Richard P.C. Hanson
Encyclopedia
Richard Patrick Crosland Hanson (1916–1988) was bishop of Clogher in the Church of Ireland
from 1970 to 1973. A historian of antiquity (he claimed to distrust history written concerning periods subsequent to 600 AD) he was particularly noted for a life of St. Patrick. He discovered that ecumenical work was particularly restricted in the context of the Troubles
in a diocese lying on both sides of the border between Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland
, which he accordingly resigned to take up a professorship in Ancient History
at Manchester University. During this period he worked notably on the evolution of Christian theology
in the period between (and immediately prior to) the Councils of Nicea
(325 AD) and Constantinople
(381 A. D.) He was the first British or Irish contributor to the Sources Chrétiennes
collection of early Christian writings. Among his writings was Reasonable Belief which was written jointly with his brother. In the introduction he notes "One of the authors is an Anglican priest and the other an Anglican bishop, and neither can jump out of his skin" (p. x) and "It should perhaps be explained that this book is not only a collaboration between two Anglican theologians but between two identical twin brothers" (p. xi).
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
from 1970 to 1973. A historian of antiquity (he claimed to distrust history written concerning periods subsequent to 600 AD) he was particularly noted for a life of St. Patrick. He discovered that ecumenical work was particularly restricted in the context of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in a diocese lying on both sides of the border between Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, which he accordingly resigned to take up a professorship in Ancient History
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
at Manchester University. During this period he worked notably on the evolution of Christian theology
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
in the period between (and immediately prior to) the Councils of Nicea
First Council of Nicaea
The First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
(325 AD) and Constantinople
First Council of Constantinople
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
(381 A. D.) He was the first British or Irish contributor to the Sources Chrétiennes
Sources chretiennes
Sources Chrétiennes is a bilingual collection of patristic texts founded in Lyon in 1942 by the Jesuits Jean Daniélou, Claude Mondésert, and Henri de Lubac....
collection of early Christian writings. Among his writings was Reasonable Belief which was written jointly with his brother. In the introduction he notes "One of the authors is an Anglican priest and the other an Anglican bishop, and neither can jump out of his skin" (p. x) and "It should perhaps be explained that this book is not only a collaboration between two Anglican theologians but between two identical twin brothers" (p. xi).
Publications (selected)
- 1954: Origen's Doctrine of Tradition
- 1968: Saint Patrick
- 1978: Saint Patrick: Confession et lettre à Coroticus, (Sources ChrétiennesSources chretiennesSources Chrétiennes is a bilingual collection of patristic texts founded in Lyon in 1942 by the Jesuits Jean Daniélou, Claude Mondésert, and Henri de Lubac....
; no. 249 )(annotated edition with French translation) - 1981: Reasonable Belief: a survey of the Christian faith (jointly with his brother Anthony Tyrrell Hanson) Oxford: Oxford University Press ISBN 0192132350
- 1988: The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God: the Arian Controversy 318-381