Henry Chadwick (theologian)
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire | |
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Academic background | |
Education | Eton College |
Alma mater | |
Academic work | |
Institutions |
Henry Chadwick
A leading historian of the
Family and early life
Born in
After leaving Eton, he went to
Academic career
Cambridge
Chadwick became a
Oxford
Chadwick moved to Oxford in 1959, to take up the position of
In 1969, Chadwick was appointed Dean of Christ Church, uniquely a dual role as a cathedral dean and head of a college.[3][22] This period was not entirely happy; a scholarly ability to see all sides of a question, along with an ingrained desire not to upset his colleagues, sometimes made it hard for him to make a quick or firm decision. However, during his time as Dean the college benefited from a continued programme of renovation with internal changes that provided more student accommodation.[7] The position gave Chadwick the chance to influence the musical direction of the cathedral. In The Independent newspaper, obituary writer Andrew Louth notes that at the retirement of Sydney Watson as organist, when he and Chadwick played piano duets together Chadwick's technique was the equal of Watson's. The new organist, Simon Preston, had ambitious plans for improving musical standards, and Chadwick was pleased to be able to support these, not least by raising funds for a new organ.[9]
Chadwick also found time to contribute to the administration of the wider university, serving on the
Return to Cambridge
In 1979, Chadwick resigned the deanship,
After four years in retirement, he received an unexpected invitation to become Master of Peterhouse in 1987, thus becoming the first person in over four centuries to lead a college at both Oxford and Cambridge.
Chadwick also edited Oxford Early Christian Studies (from 1990). With his brother Owen, he edited The Oxford History of the Christian Church (12 vols., 1981–2010). His own volumes in this series were The Church in Ancient Society: from Galilee to Gregory the Great (2001) and East and West: The Making of a Rift in the Church: From Apostolic Times until the Council of Florence (2005). His final work was to have been on Photios I of Constantinople, research for which covered many of his interests, particularly classical learning and Christianity, and ecumenism. Some of his material on the topic was published in East and West. He was also an Editorial Advisor of Dionysius. He died in Oxford on 17 June 2008.[9]
Reputation and recognition
Writing in an obituary for The Guardian, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, wrote, "'The Anglican church,' it was said, 'may not have a Pope, but it does have Henry Chadwick,'" and further described him as an "aristocrat among Anglican scholars".[5] Other obituaries and appreciations describe how he was generous with his time and knowledge,[5][9] and always ready to point students in the right direction.[7] The Independent credits his capacious memory and a personal library of around 20,000 books as the foundation of his broad scholarship.[9][30] According to The Times, when reviewing others' writing he was usually generous, though capable of a courteous demolition job when well-deserved.[7]
A capable preacher, though doubtful of his ability when preaching to a non-academic congregation, Chadwick was well regarded as a lecturer and companion at High Table. However, a natural shyness could give him a rather remote air.[5][7] On an American lecture tour, he noticed three young women who came to every lecture, but took no notes. At the end of lectures he asked the women how they had enjoyed them, to be told that they had no real interest in the subject itself, but they loved to hear him speak.[9] The character of the college provost in the A Staircase in Surrey novels of Christ Church colleague J. I. M. Stewart was based on that of Chadwick.[5]
Chadwick held honorary degrees from the universities of
Chadwick's love of music led him to serve for twenty years as chairman of the council of Hymns Ancient & Modern Ltd. During this time the company expanded its scope. From producing the hymnbooks
He served as a Governor of Monkton Combe School from 1964 to 1974.[37]
Chadwick was an International member of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.[38][39]
A memorial to him and his brother was unveiled at Westminster Abbey on 2 February 2018.[40]
Publications
Chadwick published over 125 books, monographs, articles etc.[4] Mentioned in obituaries as being particularly notable are:[2][5][7][9]
- Origen: Contra Celsum (1953)
- Lessing's Theological Writings (Selected and Translated, Stanford University Press, 1957)
- Early Christian Thought and The Classical Tradition: Studies in Justin, Clement, and Origen (Oxford, 1966)
- Priscillian of Avila: The Occult and the Charismatic in the Early Church (1976)
- Augustine (Past Masters, Oxford, 1986)
- Saint Augustine: Confessions (Translation, introduction, notes. Oxford, 1991)
- The Early Church (The Penguin History of the Church, 1967 revised 1993)
- Augustine: A Very Short Introduction(Oxford University Press, 2001)
- The Church in Ancient Society: From Galilee to Gregory the Great (Oxford History of the Christian Church, 2001)
- East and West: The Making of a Rift in the Church (History of the Christian Church, 2003)
References
- British Monarchy. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Very Rev Professor Henry Chadwick". The Daily Telegraph. London. 18 June 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
- ^ a b PHS (9 July 1969). "The Times Diary—Chadwick favourite for Dean, OAPs in TV licence rumpus, Holiday Inns here to stay". News. The Times. No. 57607. London. col D, p. 10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Henry Chadwick, biographies of Gifford Lecturers". Gifford Lectures website. Archived from the original on 21 June 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Williams, Rowan (19 June 2008). "Obituary—Henry Chadwick—He was a leading Anglican scholar and strove for ecumenicalism". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
- ^ Dakers, Lionel (prepared before Dakers's own death in 2003) (20 June 2008). "Obituary: The Revd Professor Henry Chadwick". Church Times. Retrieved 9 July 2008.)
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "The Very Rev Professor Henry Chadwick: priest and scholar". The Times. London. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
- ^ "University News". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 47610. London. 16 February 1937. col A, p. 13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Louth, Andrew (20 June 2008). "The Rev Professor Henry Chadwick: Historian of the early Church who held the Regius Chairs of Divinity at both Oxford and Cambridge". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
- ^ "Ecclesiastical News—Ordination Lists". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 49655. London. 20 September 1943. col E, p. 6.
- ^ "Ecclesiastical News—Ordination Lists". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 49963/2. London. 25 September 1944. col F, p. 6.
- ^ "University News". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 53112. London. 11 December 1954. col E, p. 8.
- ^ "Regius Chair of Divinity at Oxford". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 54223. London. 7 August 1958. col B, p. 8.
- ^ "No. 41601". The London Gazette. 9 January 1959. p. 218.
- ^ "British Academy Awards—List of New Fellows". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 54223. London. 7 July 1960. col B, p. 8.
- ^ a b "British Academy Fellows Archive—Chadwick, Professor H, KBE". Directory of Fellows of the British Academy. British Academy. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
- ^ "Gifford Lecturer". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 55005. London. 14 February 1961. col E, p. 14.
- ^ "Christian Theology And Authority". News. The Times. No. 55870. London. 28 November 1963. col D, p. 14.
"The Problem of St. Paul". News. The Times. No. 55567. London. 6 December 1962. col F, p. 8.
"Bishop As Indispensable Focus in Early Church". News. The Times. No. 55573. London. 13 December 1962. col B, p. 5.
"Divergent Principles of the Early Church". News. The Times. No. 55679. London. 19 April 1963. col C, p. 7.
"Creeds As Pledge of Loyalty". News. The Times. No. 55685. London. 26 April 1963. col D, p. 8.
"St. Augustine And Authority". News. The Times. No. 55691. London. 3 May 1963. col B, p. 11.
"Pauline Origins of Roman Church". News. The Times. No. 55697. London. 10 May 1963. col D, p. 16. - ^ "Authority and the Reformers". News. The Times. No. 55876. London. 5 December 1963. col D, p. 7.
"Gifford Lecture—Fundamentals And Authority". News. The Times. No. 55882. London. 12 December 1963. col E, p. 15.
"Emancipation From Authority". News. The Times. No. 55946. London. 27 February 1964. col F, p. 12.
"The Christian Idea of Revelation". News. The Times. No. 55952. London. 5 March 1964. col E, p. 6.
"Tractarianism And Kierkegaard". News. The Times. No. 55958. London. 12 March 1964. col E, p. 14.
"Liberal Protestant Authority". News. The Times. No. 55981. London. 9 April 1964. col B, p. 17.
"'Obsolete' Clash on Authority". News. The Times. No. 55993. London. 23 April 1964. col E, p. 14.
"Religious Authority Misconstrued". News. The Times. No. 55999. London. 30 April 1964. col D, p. 16. - ^ "Inquiry on Women And Holy Orders". News. The Times. No. 55650. London. 15 March 1963. col G, p. 14.
- ISBN 0-7151-4074-4.
- ^ "No. 44957". The London Gazette. 14 October 1969. p. 10481.
- ^ "News From The Universities—Oxford". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 57103. London. 20 November 1967. col C, p. 10.
- ^ Staff reporter (11 October 1969). "New Rome link with Anglicans". News. The Times. No. 57688. London. col G, p. 1.
- ^ Clifford Longley (14 June 1983). "Wounds of the Reformation face new church commission". News. The Times. No. 61558. London. col C, p. 10.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (22 June 2008). "Henry Chadwick, Scholar of Early Christianity, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
- ^ "No. 47969". The London Gazette. 4 October 1979. p. 12417.
- ^ "University news—Cambridge". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 60309. London. 24 May 1978. col D, p. 19.
- ^ "No. 51772". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 1989. p. 7.
- ^ Williams, Adrian (20 June 2008). "Lives Remembered: Henry Chadwick, Nat Temple, Christopher Morgan". The Times. London. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
- ^ "Honorary Degrees at Glasgow". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 53821. London. 22 April 1957. col B, p. 8.
- ^ "University News—Cambridge". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 54328. London. 8 December 1958. col D, p. 12.
- ^ "University News—Cambridge". Official Appointments and Notices. The Times. No. 55454. London. 27 July 1962. col G, p. 21.
- ^ a b Paflin, Glyn (4 July 2008). "Diary—After Henry". Church Times. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- ^ Religious Affairs Correspondent (23 March 1974). "Ladbroke's open book on next Archbishop". News. The Times. No. 59046. London. col D, p. 2.
- ^ Clifford Longley (28 March 1984). "Hard-to-fill houses of the Lord". News. The Times. No. 61793. London. col B, p. 14.
- ^ Monkton Combe School Register, 1964
- ^ "Henry Chadwick". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Memorial to Chadwick brothers dedicated".
Further reading
- Rusch, William G., ed. 2016. Selected Writings: Henry Chadwick. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN 978-0802872777
- Tincq, Henri (27 June 2008). "Nécrologie—Le révérend Henry Chadwick, historien anglican des origines chrétiennes". Le Monde. Retrieved 1 July 2008. Abstract only; full article requires subscription.