I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
I am a retired teacher who wrote 7 photocopiable books for Teachers and one book for children Union Jack Colouring Book.
The 7books covered Geography, History (Medieval/ Tudor/ Stuart), Travel and Transport, Myself and Events (this included diaries), Race Against Time Stories (SATS based), Church Dates for Children plus Nature and Seasons (including Sport). These 7 books have been mainly broken into a number of segments.
Challenging the Physical Elements, my Geography book, is complete.
Ulrich Zwingli has been called the third man of the Reformation; third behind Martin Luther and John Kalvin. Ulrich was a scholar, priest and reformist.
Ulrich born a couple of months after Martin
Ulrich graduated from the University of Basel in 1506. and became the parish priest in Glarus. From the beginning he took his priestly duties seriously. The feeling of responsibility motivated him to show an increasing interest in the Bible. He bought a copy of Erasmus’s New Testament Latin translation He began to teach himself Greek and bought Erasmus Greek N.T. and started to memorize long passages. Privately he started to challenge the customs of medieval Christendom he thought were unbiblical.
Ulrich moved to Zurich in 1518 just a year after Martin Luther began the Reformation in Germany with his famous 99Theses. Ulrich had his own equivalent the 67 conclusions.
He struggled with celibacy. He secretly married in 1522.
In January 1523 he was ready to share his ideas. Before the Zurich City Council he gave the what is now called the FIrst Disputation. The second Disputation happened in October. The reforms which followed were the removal of images of Jesus and Mary, saints removed from churches, the Bible to have preeminence. In 1524 he was publicly married. In 1525 he and others convinced the city to abolish mass and replace it with a simple service that included the Lord’s Supper but only as a symbolic memorial.
Under the leadership of Ulrich the Swiss Confederation was creating a parallel movement to what Martin Luther was creating in Germany.
The German Prince Philip of Hesse saw the potential of an alliance between Ulrich and Martin. In 1529 they met at his castle - now known as the Colloquay of Marlburg . The two movements agreed on 14 points of doctrine, the 15th point they disagreed over the Lord’s Supper. Luther preached consubstantiation - actual body and blood of Christ, Ulrich said it was only representative and memorial. It was evident no alliance was going to work.
Ulrich died two years later in a battle defending Zurich against Catholic forces.
Under Heinrich Bullinger, Ulrich’s successor, this unique branch of the Protestant Reformation continued to blossom.
Thomas Cranmer was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1533- 1556. He was the archbishop responsible for successfully getting HenryV111 's divorce from his first wife , Catherine of Aragon. (He also married his next 5 wives.)Henry then declared himself Supreme head of the English church- Thomas became the first Protestant Archbishop of England.
(For this piece of work iI have used two main sources
Great Leaders of the Christian Church (GL of CC)
Britannica Online Encyclopedia (B.O.E)
Thomas was born on 2nd July 1489 in Nottinghamshire. He went to Jesus college, Cambridge and received a fellowship in 1523.
Early on he rejected the claims that the Pope had supremacy over the ruler of each country. (read Cranmer the Erastian - GL of CC).
In August 1529 a plague known as the sweating sickness swept the country and Thomas went to stay at his father’s house in Waltham, Essex. HenryV111 was visiting the area and two of the king’s councillors met Thomas - they discussed the future divorce. The king called Thomas for an interview. Thomas agreed to create a treatise. (Read* Entry into Royal Service* - B.O.E.)
When William Warham, the aged archbishop of Canterbury died in August 1532, a replacement was needed. Stephen Gardiner, the obvious candidate was out of favour. Thomas, now chief adviser on ecclesiastical matters, was chosen. In March 1533 he was consecrated and instituted at Canterbury. In May he declared the marriage to Catherine of Argon void and pronounced the marriage to Anne Boleyn valid. He did as he was told with regards to the other marriages that followed.
With regard to church matters he created the Book of Common Prayer in the language of the people - English replaced Latin. He provided the church with one book containing all services for daily, Sunday and occasional use, as well as a Book of Psalms.
In the year Henry V111 died, 1517, and Edward V1 became king,Thomas published a Book Of Homilies which was designed to meet the
notorious grievance that the unreformed clergy did not preach enough.
He was also influential in fixing the doctrinal anchors of the reformed Church of England. The 42 articles of !553 became the 39 articles in 1571. These articles anchor the church in the scriptures , the creeds and Reformed catholicity.
On the death of Edward V! and the short 9 day ‘reign’ of Lady Jane Grey - who Thomas had supported Mary1 became queen. Mary was Roman Catholic and wanted Thomas to recant his beliefs on oath. Refusal meant he would be martyred. He briefly agreed but was still burnt at the stake- March 21st 1556 - he made sure his right hand which had signed the paper was first in the fire.
Thomas was the leader of the English Reformation and was responsible for establishing the basic structures of the Church of England. He died as a martyr for the English form of R
The Britannica Online Encyclopedia article on Thomas Cramner is excellent.
.
John Knox was an ordained minister successively for 3 Christian churches -
Roman Catholic, Church of England and Church of Scotland. And for 19 months he was a galley slave.
John in turn became a tutor, preacher at St. Andrews, galley-slave in French bondage and chaplain to the young English king- Edward VI.
In the 1540s John came under the influence of converted reformers… He became the bodyguard for fiery Protestant preacher George Wishart. In 1546 Cardinal David Beaton had Wishart arrested, tried ,strangled and burned. 3 months later Beaton was murdered by Protestant conspirators. John was not ‘privy’ to the murder but did approve of it.
In 1547 the occupants of St. Andrew Castle, including John, were put under siege. Some occupants were imprisoned; John was sent to the galleys as a slave. Released after 19 months he spent 5 years in England where his reputation for preaching quickly blossomed.
During the reign of Mary Tudor (1553-8),when England reverted back to being Roman Catholic, John was exiled in Europe. Whilst there he helped originate the Puritan tradition and worked on an English version of the Bible.
In 1559 he returned to Scotland to be proclaimed an outlaw by the Roman Catholic queen regent. The English ambassador, Randolph said, The voice of one man is able in one hour to put more life in us than 500 trumpets continually blustering our ears.
Queen Mary arrived in Scotland in 1561. . When Mary was contemplating Don Car;os of Spain John sounded the Protestant alarm bell. John was charged with treason but the privy Council refused to convict him. Aged 50 John married
17 year old Margaret Stewart a distant relative of the queen - that completed the queen’s ‘cup of bitterness’.
The Reformation finally came to Scotland. John laid down the right foundations. He aimed at support for the poor, equality of men before God and the advancement of education by having a school in every parish. He and his fellow ministers went to great pains to establish sound doctrine.
Parliament ordered John and 5 colleagues to write a Confession of faith, the First Book of Discipline and *The Book of Common Order * .
He ended up as preacher in Edinburgh church where he wrote
History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland
His power as a preacher lay in his capacity to fuse reason with emotion and to be a passionate logican in the pulpit. He was considered one of the most powerful preachers of his day. John was a minister of the Christian gospel who advocated a violent but bloodless revolution.He was a key figure in the formation of modern Scotland.
Sources used
*Great Leaders of the Christian Church editor Woodbridge
content by J.D. Douglas
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Christianity Today
Blaise Pascal is held in high esteem in France. The Biblotheque nationale in Paris guards none of its manuscripts more jealously than those of Blaise. Though he died before he was 40, and suffered continually from ill health, he won fame in the 17th century that is still increasing today.
At the age of just 16 he began contributing to geometry, physics, applied mechanics and mathematical theory that were of great importance. By some he is regarded as the ‘father’ of computers!
Blaise became a devout and committed Christian. (Read Conversion 1 and 2). He was always aware of his sinful nature and knew he needed the grace of the Jesus.
He wrote * L*es Provinciales**
which Voltaire described as the work of genius. 18 essays regarded as brilliant irony and satire
He planned to write an* Apology of the Christian Religion*. He had prepared all the notes- there were nearly 1,000 fragmentary writings, but he died. It was published as* Pensees . Apparently it is such high quality that it can be placed alongside such great works as Augustine’s Confessions.
In his youth he proved to be a a genius in scientist. As a born again Christian Blaise , who loved the truth above all else, looked beyond truth to the source of truth, even to God himself, the source of wisdom and truth.
Sources used
Great Leaders of the Christian Faith editor Woodbridge
contribution from Peter Toon
Christianity Today
John Calvin was the Reformations supreme Bible teacher. Young John had originally planned a life of of quiet scholarship but a ‘sudden conversion’- his phrase- at age of 20 led him to want God’s will rather than his own.
Born a French man he found himself exiled in Geneva, Switzerland for most of his adult life. With maximum public exposure he became a preacher and teacher of the Bible, pastor. reformer, theologian and universal Christian counselor.
In the book *Great Leaders of the Christian Church
James I. Packer lays a very sound foundation. He writes about Calvin the man, his will. sudden conversion and called to Geneva and Calvinism in Europe (See notes). He also covers John’s Geneva, theology and knowledge of God.
John developed hie theology in his biblical commentaries as well as his sermons and treaties but the most concise expression of his views are found in his magnum opus * Institutes of the Christian Religion* It was and is
Protestantism’ s classic statement. Over the years the book grew! Edition 1 was 6 chapters (1536), edition 2 - 3 times larger (1539), edition 3 added new material (1543) and finally edition 4 - consisted of 4 books of 80 chapters each (1559)
Book 1 God the Creator, bk.2 Redeemer in Christ. Bk.3 Receiving the Grace of Christ through the Holy Spirit bk.4 Society of Christ or the Church
The theology of John Calvin has been more influential in both the development of the system of belief now known as Calvinism and in Protestant thought more generally.
Anchored in Geneva John became an international figure in his own life time. The modern world can hardly be understood without some knowledge of Calvinism.
Sources used
wikipedia
Great Leaders of the Christian Church edited by Woodbridge
Christianity Today
What is calvinism? by John Piper
Note The wikipedia site has a fantastic amount of information about John and Calvanism.
John Owen was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian and academic administrator at the University of Oxford,
For a very brief time he was an MP for Oxford University, sitting the First Protectorate Parliament (1654/5) of Oliver Cromwell (disqualified because of his clerical vocation).
John was of Welsh descent but was born in Stadhampton, Oxfordshire. He was educated at Queen’s College Oxford (B.A. 1632 M.A. 1635).
In 1637 he was driven out of Oxford by Laud’s new laws and became chaplain and tutor to first Sir Robert Dormer , then Lord Lovelace.
Between 1642-9 we have the English Civil War. John sided with the Parliamentarians and Cromwell. In doing so he lost the prospect of succeeding to his Welsh Royalist uncle’s fortune.
Appointed rector of Fordham, Essex in 1642. In 1644 he married Mary Rooke (they had 11 children but 10 died in infancy).
In 1646 he became vicar at Coggeshall after preaching a notable sermon before parliament. His preaching led to him being attached to Cromwell. He became chaplain to Cromwell’s army and accompanied him to Ireland and Scotland
(1649-50). He was dean of Christ Church Cathedral (1651-60). He was also appointed vice -chancellor at Oxford (1652-7) . 1654 elected MP for Oxford.
He opposed plans for Cromwell to be offered the crown. 1660 he abandoned politics altogether with the Restoration of the monarchy -Charles 11 now on the throne.
On the return of Charles 11 he joined nearly 2,000 other Puritan ministers to leave the ministry of the national church. In 1660 he became pastor at a Congrgational church in London (1660-1683). He devoted his time to the production of an array of top-class theological literature. These helped secure his reputation as a great British theologian. Among his works are historical treaties on religion, studies of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and defences of Noncomformist or Puritan views.
John died on 4th September 1683 and is buried in Bunhill fields.
For the fullest description of John Owen, by someone who knew him, read Robert Asty’s written in 1721, (Read Theologian’s theologian)
What is the application and relevance of John to our lives today? John serves as a reminder that Christianity is not to isolated from the world. He prayed, preached and wrote about the glory of God, and for a time served as a aide for Cromwell, and MP. As Christians we can serve God in any position that he placed us in society, community or family.
Sources used
*Great Leaders of the Christian Church * edited by Woodbridge
contribution from Peter Toon
wikipedia
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Lessons from the life of John Owen
Philipp was a German Lutheran theologian who essentially found what woudl becme known as Pietism. He was later named ‘Father of Pietism’.
After a brief time at the grammar school in Colmar he moved on to Strasbourg in 1651. He studied philology, history and philosophy. He became the private tutor to the princes Christian and Charles of the Electorate of the Palantinate. He also lectured on philology and history at the university. From 1659-62 he visited various universities and commenced a study of Heraldry - which he pursued throughout his life. He returned to Strasbourg where he was appointed preacher without and pastoral duties. in 1666 he became the chief pastor in the Lutheran church at Frankfurt.
A prolific writer here he published his two main worksIn his most famous work Pia Desideria (1675) Philipp assessed contemporary orthodoxy’s weakness
and advanced proposals for reform. He gave 6 proposals.
(Read ‘Theology’ paragraph to see 6 proposals and also ’ Heart desire’).
In 1680 he wrote Allgemeine Gottesgelehrtheit and began the form of pastoral work which resulted in the movement called Pietism.
In 1686 accepted invitation to the first chaplaincy at Dresden. In 1691 he became rector of St. Nicholas in Berlin with the title of counsellor of the Marcher Consistory. Philippe died aged 70, on 5 th February 1705.
After Philipp the leadership of German Pietism passed to August Hermann Francke.
Pietism emphasized personal faith against the main Lutheran church’s perceived stress on doctrine and theology over Christian living. ( See notes)
Sources
wikipedia
Christianity Today
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
George was born and raised in Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire.
At the age of 11 he remembered experiencing the ‘pureness’ of Divine presence.
At the age of 12 he was apprenticed to a local tradesman - a cobbler, then as a partner with a wool and cattle dealer. His integrity brought him commercial success but there was a spiritual rage furiously within. In 1643 he left home to seek the truth.
By 1647 he was already a discerning critic of his culture. He turned to Bible reading and prayer. he began to talk to everyone about his ideas.
In 1649 he was imprisoned for the first time. At his second trial in Derby (1650/1) a judge used the word ‘quaker’ in a sarcastic manner- according to George that’s whenit was first used.
1652 he climbed Pendle Hill in Lancashire where he had a vision of a’ great people to be gathered together’ waiting for him The beginning of the Society of Friends (Quakers) is dated soon afterwards. George preached on Firbank Fell,near Sedbergh, in Cumbria. Some days later he was at Swarthmoor Hall, home of Judge Fell, Margaret Fell and family. Swarthmoor was to become a vital hub for the Society in Margaret’s capable hands.
Many of the new Friends were seekers from various denominations who were disillusioned with state religion. They responded eagerly to his prophetic proclamation of a new Day of the Lord.
George and other Friends travelled all over the country. George went to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland. Judge Fell did a lot to protect them until he died in 1658. Charles11 came to throne in 1660. George was imprisoned for 2 years in 1664/6. He began a journal which he continued to write until his death. On October 27th 1669 he married Margaret.
There were now had Friends in the Caribbean. In 1671 they set sail for Barbados arriving in October. The Barbadian economy was slave based; some Friends were slave owners. George suggested freedom after 30 years service
1677 they went to to Holland and Germany. In the 1680s he spent a great deal of time lobbying Parliament against the persecution of Quakers.
George lived to see the fruits of his labour when the Declaration of Indulgence followed by The Toleration Act of 1689 granted limited freedom to Quakers. The movement gradually took shape as a denomination. Several meeting houses were built before he died in London, on 23rd January 1691.
George believed faithful witness to the Kingdom by word and deed would speed the gathering of the world’s peoples to Christ.
Sources used
Quakers in the World
Great Leaders of the Christian Faith Woodbridge
contribution by Arthur O. Roberts
wikipedia
Leslie was an English Christian theologian in the liberal Protestant tradition.He was noted for his preaching ministry at City Temple in London and for his books
He trained at Richmond Theological college in south west London. WW! cut short his training and he became Methodist minister at Farnham,in Surrey.
After serving in India, Manchester and Leeds he became minister at City Temple , a Congregational Church on Holborn Viaduct in London. He served ‘there’ from 1936 until his retirement in 1960.
On April 17th 1941 the church was destroyed by bombs. THe congregation worshipped in 8 different buildings, including the near-by St. Sepulchre-without- Newgate church, until the new City Temple was opened in 1958 in the presence of the Queen Mother. John D. Rockefeller was a major contributor. Today it is called the United Reformed Church.
Leslie was a preacher of the first order. His sermons had sound form, logical progression of thought and clear illustrations. He was an expert in arousing great feelings. His eyes fascinated the hearer and his hands played a great part in delivery. For Leslie the pulpit always came first. Leslie had the remarkable ability to ‘hide’ himself while he was preaching so that God might speak to the people.
His great friend W.E. Sangster said, If I was to put the secret of his power into one word, I would use the word ‘caring’. He cares for people honestly, personally and in a most costly way.
His careful, painstaking, preparation was so he could introduce them to Jesus.
The 3 books sermon books Leslie considered his best were *That Immortal sea, Over his Own Signature and Key Next Door. * He wrote 55 books in total.
( See incomplete bibliography)
Despite opposition he was elected President of the Methodist Conference for 1955/6. He was highly contraversial figure on account of his questioning some of the central tenets of the Christian faith. John Taylor said he was a great man but remains an enigma.
He retired to live at Bexhill -on-Sea.and died in 1976
Sources used
wiipedia
preaching.com
.
Justin was born about AD 100 in Neapolis - modern Nablus- in Samaria. Justin was an uncircumcised Gentile rather than a Samaritan.
He was probably one of the earliest and most important, of the Apologists - a spokesmen who gave a reasoned defence of Christianity- in the second century.
Raised by pagan parents he sought to find life’s meanings in the philosophies of his day. This only brought disappointment until in about AD 130 he had a conversation with an old man. His life was transformed. I fell in love with the prophets and these men who had loved Christ.
Numerous works of Justin have been preserved including a remarkable dialogue with Trypho and 2 apologies.
In Ephesus he had a disputation with Trypho. The 3 main points being: the Old Covenant is passing away to make way for the New; the Logos (Word) is the God of the O.T.; and the Gentiles are the new Israel.
( read Dialogue with Trypho and Justin and the O.T.) .
Justin moved to Rome where he founded a Christian school and wrote 2 apologies. The one which has gained most attention resembles the order of a church service. (read A picture of worship)
In about AD 165 Justin, along with 6 others/disciples, were arrested for their faith. When the prefect threatened them with death he replied *If we are punished for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we hope to be saved. *
They were taken out and beheaded.
Justin’s impassioned defence of the Christian truth greatly influenced many other Christian Fathers. Modern scholars have been impressed by Justin’s modesty, honesty and courage.
Sources used
Christianity Today
Great Leaders of the Christian Church edited by Woodbridge
Donald Grey Barnhouse was a USA Christian preacher, pastor, theologian, radio pioneer and author.
He was born in Watsonville, California, USA. After graduating high school he went to the Biola Institute in 1912. He studied at the University of Chicago and Princeton Theological Seminary. He enlisted in the army in 1917 before Completing his studies at Princeton. Ordained in April 1918.
He was pastor at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1927 until his death in 1960, a total of over 30 years.
.C. Everett Koop, a former US Surgeon General, a regular at the church for 20 years said His authoritive voice held my attention, his physical appearance was arresting, and his preaching was of the highest intellectual order…I always marvelled at the simplicity of the faith of this very intelligent and learned man
He was a pioneer in preaching on the radio. The Bible Study Hour was the name of the programme. The programme still continues today on the air as Dr. Barnhouse & the Bible.
From 1931- 1950 he published Revelation - which contained his sermons etc…
In 1950 he founded Eternity a monthly magazine
In 1949 he ran a weekly in depth study on Romans which he continued until his death in 1960 of a large malignant brain tumour.
Eternity did a memorial issue tribute to its founder for March 1961
Source
wikipedia
Jonathan was a North American revivalist preacher, philosopher and Congregationalist theologian. he is regarded as one the USA’s most important and original philosophical theologians. He played a critical role in shaping the First Great Awakening (1735-7), (1740-4). His theological work gave rise to a distinct school of theology known as the New England theology.
Jonathan was the fifth of 11 children - the other 10 were all girls. His father, Timothy, was a pastor at East Windsor, Connecticut. He grew up in an atmosphere of Puritan piety, affection and learning. Following rigorous home schooling he entered Yale College in New Haven aged 13.
He was converted at the age of 17 as he read 1 Timothy 1 v17
All honour and glory to God for ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies;he alone is God. Following this he had a delightful conviction of divine sovereignty to a new sense of God’s glory revealed in Scripture and in nature.
He graduated in 1720 from Yale and stayed a further 2 years to study Divinity.
Briefly he was a pastor in New York (1722-3) and received a MA degree. !724-6 he was a tutor at Yale. In 1727 he became his grandfather’s colleague at Northampton and married Sarah Pierrepont (they had 11 children).
On his grandfather’s death in 1729 he became the sole occupant of the pulpit. He stayed at Northampton until his dismissal concerning a dispute who should take Holy Communion. He was there for over 20 years. On July 1st 1750 he preached his dignified and restrained ’ Farewell- sermon’. This was followed by 2 books explaining his position.
On his termination at Northampton he began missionary work in Stockbridge, Massachusetts working with Indians. Although hampered by language difficulties, illness , Indian wars and conflicts with personal enemies he discharged his pastoral duties. This is where he wrote his most famous book The Freedom of the Will (1754).
In 1757 he was invited to be president of the College of New Jersey-now Princeton University. He had hardly assumed duties when he contracted smallpox and died aged 55. (He was inoculated against smallpox and 5 weeks later caught the disease from the vaccine.)
So ended the life of the man who was arguably USA’s greatest theologian. His writings, expounding and defending the evangelical and Reformed faith are of lasting value to the Christian church.
American historian , Perry Miller said that Jonathan is the * greatest philosopher-theologian yet to grace the American scene.* His entire corpus of Jonathan’s works are available on line.
Sarah Edwards
His wife raised their 11 children largely by herself. Jonathan focused on sermons and books. She was a hands-on parent who raised the children and ran the household, providing an agreeable and pleasant life for the family.
Sources
Gold from Dark Mines Irene Howat ch5 p109-p140
wikipedia
Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Great Leaders of the Christian Church Woodbridge
Henry was a prominent liberal U.S. Congregational minister whose oratorical skills and social concern made him one of the most influential Protestant speakers of the mid to late 19th century…
Though never distinguished as a scholar he became a superior speaker and popular leader. He came to believe that a sermon succeeds by focusing on the single objective of effecting a moral change in the change of the hearer.
In 1847 he accepted a call to Plymouth Church (Congregational), Brooklyn. N.Y., where he drew a weekly crowds of 2,500 by the early 1850s.
Abraham Lincoln said no one in history had so productive a mind was in the audience at one point.
Mark Twain said, sawing his arms in the air, howling sarcasms this way and that, discharging rockets of poetry and exploding mines of eloquence, halting now and then to stamp his foot three times in succession to emphasize a point
Henry’s fiery preaching style led to his becoming editor of several religious magazines including * Christian Union * Among his many books is Evolution and Religion.
He became one of the most influential figures of his time. He supported the Free Soil political candidates and later the Republicans. On the out break of of the Civil war his church raised and equipped a volunteer regiment.
In a highly publicized scandal he was accused of committing adultery with a friend’s wife. His wife supported him throughout the ordeal.The board of inquiry exonerated him twice but the debacle split his family.
Henry died of a cerebral hemorrhage in March 1887.
Elizabeth Fry was a preacher and reformer.
Her maiden name was Elizabeth Gurney and she was born in Norwich into a wealthy Quaker family. She became a member of Plain Friends - a strict religious group who dressed modestly and refrained from singing and dancing. William Savery inspired her to devote her life to helping the needy.
Elizabeth Gurney met Joseph Fry in 1799 and married him in 1800. They went to live in his family home in Plashed - now East Ham.
In 1811 Elizabeth was acknowledged as a Quaker minister. It was an unpaid post among Friends that nevertheless frequently entailed travelling to serve other meetings. her ministry, which was greatly appreciated on account of her musical voice. She delighted to preach on the theme of the availability of the grace of God for all.
When Elizabeth visited Newgate prison in 1813 she found women and children crammed 30 to a cell. There they cooked, washed and slept. To help them she supplied clothes, established a school, chapel and matron.
In 1817 Elizabeth, along with 11 other Quakers, established the Association for the Improvement of the Female Prisoners in Newgate.
Her brother in law, MP Thomas Fowell-Buxton, raised the issue in Parliament… Elizabeth gave evidence to the Commons committee on prisons. She advocated treating prisoners like human beings.
Some MPs saw her as a dangerous radical but the new Home Secretary, Sir Robert peel, was supportive. The 1823 Goals Act was the first step. In a book published in1827 she set down many of her conclusions on penal policy, stating foe example her opposition to capital punishment.
Elizabeth became recognised as a well-known , respected figure, consulted by many important men for her professional opinion.
In 1824 she founded the Brighton District Visiting Society. In 1840 she created a nursing school at Guy’s hospital.
She did not win all the battles. She declared in 1948 the new Pentonville prison, with its dark cells, *should never exist in a Christian and civilized country.
*
Elizabeth Fry created a lasting improvements for Britain and changed the status of women in society.
I found some Bite Size Key stage I pictures which might prove useful for primary work.
Sources
*Great Leaders of the Christian Church *
edited by John D. Woodbridge contribution from David W. Bebbington
wikipedia
The great British Community
BBc Bitesize
Alexander was an English non-conformist minister of Scottish origin.
Alexander was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His father, David, was a merchant and a Baptist lay preacher. While his father was away in Australia (1837-41) he was converted and baptized into the Hope St. Baptist Church aged between 11-13,
He was educated at the Glasgow High school and University. When his father returned they moved to London he entered Stepney College in 1842 aged 16. Dr. David Davies, an eminent Hebrew scholar was a major influence. He took his degree at the university of London before he was 20 winning prizes in Hebrew and Greek.
He began his ministry in Portland chapel, Southampton. (1846-58). His first congregation was 20 with seating for 800. During the 12 years he was there it steadied and grew. By the time he left he had developed a reputation as an attractive and powerful preacher.
He accepted an invitation to pastorate at Union Chapel in Oxford Road, Manchester where he stayed until his retirement 48 years later. When he retired in 1903 he was made pastor emeritus and retired from active ministry. He then under took the task of writing a 31 volume pastoral commentary entitled Expositions of Holy Scripture.
He had only one ministry- preaching. He started a log with his first sermon when he was 17 - recording sermon number, location, text and date. The very last sermon in his log read 6860, November 21, 1904. -almost 61 years after his very first.
Maclaren was first and foremost a true expositor of Scripture. He never used a manuscript, preferring just sketchy notes. Yet his sermons recorded by stenographers were masterpieces of compelling, vivid and elegant language.
(It is all beautifully explained in * Preaching )
Incredible to believe but after his sermons he suffered after every one -thinking each was a failure. He could only face the awful responsibility of preaching because he so wanted the message to be heard.
F.B. Meyer, another prominent preacher of his day, said *As an expository preacher none of them equalled Maclaren of Manchester, and no other sermons were so widely read the world around… Dr. Maclaren is said with truth to have changed the whole style of the British pulpit, and to have influenced it more (than ) any of his predecessors .
He died on May 10th 1910. His ashes were buried under a cross he had placed on the family plot years before. The cross bore these words
in Christo, in pace, in Spe in Christ, in Peace, in Hope
Frederic was C. of E. clergyman, school teacher and author.
He was born in Bombay, India. He was educated at King William’s college on the Isle of Man, King’s College London and Trinity College Cambridge. In 1856 he accepted an assistant mastership at Harrow school. He was archdeacon of Westminster (1883-94) and Dean of Canterbury Cathedral (1895-03).
He spent most of his career associated with Westminster Abbey. He was canon there, then rector of St. Margaret’s -the church next door, and then arch deacon of the Abbey.
He was an eloquent preacher.
Frederic was a classic scholar and comparative philologist - a historical linguist who applied Charles Darwin’s ideas of branching descent to the relationship between languages. It was on the recommendation of Darwin that he was nominated and elected to the Royal Society in 1866. When Darwin died in 1882 Frederic helped get the church’s permission for him to be buried in Westminster Abbey. He was one of 10 pallbearers at the funeral and preached the sermon.
Frederic was also an author. he wrote a number of religious books plus some fiction.
religious books included * Life of Christ Life of St. Paul*
fiction Eric or Little by Little was a school story (See Works)
He married Lucy Mary Cardew in 1860. They had 10 children, five of each. Maud aged 16 married Henry Montgomery - they gave birth to WW11 hero ’ Monty’ Field Marshall Montgomery. Frederic was Monty’s grandfather.
Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield born near Lexington, Kentucky on 5th November 1851. Born into a wealthy family he was taught privately. He entered Princeton University in 1868 and graduated in 1871 with high honours in mathematics and science. While travelling in Europe he decided to theology to the surprise of his friends. He entered Princeton Seminary in 1873 to train to be a Presbyterian ministry. He graduated in 1876 and also married Annie Pierce Kinkead.
Together they went to Germany and Annie was struck by lightning - the result being she to a degree paralyzed. (see 10 thing you should know about B.B Warfield.)
In 1877 he became professor of theology at Princeton Theological Seminary (1877-1921). He was ordained on 26th April 1879. He served as the the last principal from 1886-1902 . On his death in 1921 Francis Landley Patton became the first president of the seminary.
In 1881 he wrote a joint article with A.A. Hodge about the inspiration of the Bible.
It drew attention because of the scholarly and forceful defence of the inerrancy ( infalliblity)of the Bible. This article presented basically the position that Benjamen was to defend and elaborate upon for more than 40 years.
From 1890 -1902 Benjamin was the editor of the * Presbyterian and Reformed Review.* His own contribution was articles and critical book reviews. He also wrote a number of books and his sermons were turned into 3 volumes. (See Warfield’s writings and Writings)
During his time his primary aim thrust was the authoritative view of the Bible. He went against the trend of modernist theology. He therefore preached and believed the doctrine of * sola scriptura * - that the Bible is God inspired and is sufficient for the Christians to live their faith
Some conservative Presbyterians consider him to be the last of the great Princeton theologians.
The 10 Things you should know about B.B. Warfield by Fred G. Zaspel makes for interesting reading.
Sources used
Great Leaders of the Christian Church editor John D. Woodbridge
contributor Roger Nicole
wikipedia
Crossways Articles
John Charles Ryle was an English evangelical bishop. He was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool. he was a strong supporter of the evangelical school. He was a writer, pastor and an evangelical preacher.
John was the eldest son of John Ryle, a member of parliament. His father’s family owned a bank. who was a private banker. He was educated at Eton and at the University of Oxford.
He left university with the intention of following in his father’s footsteps. Unfortunately his father’s fortunes took a down turn… They lost the family bank, filed for bankruptcy, and John needed to go in a different direction.
He had been converted in 1937 by hearing Ephesians 2 v 8 *God save you by grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift of God. *
He decided to be clergyman. He took holy orders (1841-2) and became a curate at Exbury, in Hampshire. ( read 3rd para. on Life ).
In 1880 he was designated dean of Salisbury and ‘at once’ 19th April advance to the newly seated see of Liverpool. He was bishop of Liverpool for almost 20 years (1880-1900) until his death at Lowerstoft on 10th June 1900.
John was described as having a commanding presence and vigorous in advocating his principles albeit with a warm disposition. He is credited with having some success in evangelizing the blue collar workers.
John had a number of published works ( See* Legacy* and ‘Published works’ )
He was buried at All Souls Church, Childwall, Liverpool.
Source used wikipedia
Joseph Parker was an English Congregational minister of the 19th century.
Aged 14 he was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a stonemason. He soon tired of it and went back to school. He managed to pick up a fair education which afterwards he constantly supplemented.
From the age of 14 he participated in local debates and boys’ meetings. Aged 18 he preached his first sermon on the village green and was enrolled as a lay preacher in the Methodist circuit. The family returned to the Congregational church and Joseph felt he was called into the Christian ministry.
Joseph wrote to Dr. John Campbell of Whitefield’s Tabernacle, Moorfields for guidance. He was invited to preach at his church for 3 Sundays. He left such an impression that Joseph became his assistant minister.
9 months later he accepted a call to the Congregational church in Banbury. he was ordained minister on 8th November 1853. His original congregation of 50 soon became so large a new church was built. He initiated open-air services on the cricket ground during the rebuild which causing consternation and some physical danger to himself.
On 10 June 1858 he became the minister at the prestigious Cavendish Street Congregational church. By 1863 there were 1000 members including many wealthy leaders of commerce and industry. 1,700 seats were full for the Sunday services.
On 19th September 1869 he became the minister at the oldest nonconformist church in London, Poultry Chapel, Cheapside. Under Joseph’s guidance it was soon flourishing. For the third time a new building was built -CIty Temple in Holborn Viaduct It became the most powerful centre of nonconformist influence in the city and beyond. His stimulating and original sermons, delivered with a ready command of vigorous English, made him one of the best known personalities of his time He was there until his death in 1902. For over 30 years he was minister of City Temple.
Joseph was a prolific writer and published more than 60 books.
Most of his sermons were extemporary which enticed him to make unexplained outbursts that both astonished and attracted hie congregations. His sonorous voice, with its surprising modulations, as well as his dramatic delivery, his humour, his use of dialect and his freshness combined to make his oratory unique in the London of his day. His transcriber commented that he was at his best when he strayed furthest from his loose outline
*Joseph’s chief legacy is not his theology but his gift of oratory.
Charles Spurgeon praised his originality. Dr. Parker’s track is his own and the jewels he lets fall in his progress are from his own casket.
Alexander Whyte He is by far the ablest man now standing in the English speaking pulpit *
Margaret Bywater * the most outstanding preacher of his time
Angus Watson no one had ever spoken like him
The person who wrote the source Introducing: Joseph Parker said Parker was a communicator of genius.
Other source use
Henry Parry Liddon, also known as H.P. Liddon was an English theologian. He was one of Britain’s greatest preachers. He was Dean Ireland’s Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture at the University of Oxford.
The son of a naval captain he was born at North Stoneham in Hampshire G.B.
he was educated at King’s College school and at Christ Church Oxford. He was first vice-principal at Cuddesdon theological college (1854-9) and then vice-principal at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford.
In 1864 Walter Kerr Hamilton , the bishop of Salisbury, appointed Henry ar as prebendary (canon) of Salisbury Cathedral.
In 1866 he delivered his Bampton Lectures. on the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. His fame as a preacher was established.
Henry was praised for his grasp of subject, clarity and lucidity, use of illustration, vivid imagination, elegance of diction, and sympathy with the intellectual position of those he addressed.
1870 made canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral. His preaching attracted 1000s. Sermons normally held in the choir stalls were instead preached under the dome. 3000-4000 used to gather to hear his sermons.
Being dean at Oxford and canon at St. Paul’s gave him extensive influence over the Church of England.
In 1882 he resigned and travelled to Palestine and Egypt. In 1886 returned to St. Paul’s as chancellor. He declined more than one offer of a bishopric.
Henry, with his friend Lewis Carrol, visited Russia to make closer links with the C. of E. and the Russian Orthodox clergy.
Henry died on the 9th of September 1890 at the height of his reputation. He had nearly completed the biography of Edward Bouvirie Pasey, who he admired. (work completed by J. O. Johnson and R. Wilson) after his death.
Henry’s influence during his life was due to his personal fascination and his pulpit oratory rather than his intellect. He was the last, but one,(John Charles Ryle) of the classical pulpit orators of the English church.
He is buried in the chapel of the Order of the British Empire in the crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Source
wikipedia