Aphrahat was a Syriac Christian author of the third century. His ancestors were from the Persian /Sasanian Empire. All of his known works, the *Demonstrations * come from later in his life - 336-344. Aphrahat is the Syriac version of the Persian name Frahat, which today would be Farhad. The author, known as the Persian sage, also took the name Jacob at his baptism. There is a suggestion that he became a bishop Read about order and subjects of the 23 Demonstrations.

Antoine was a French philosopher, mathematician and a leading theologian of the Jansenist movement ( See notes). He studied law and theology at Sorbonne. In 1641 he was ordained as a priest and deeply associated himself with the Jansenist movement at the convent at Port-Royal. His book De la frequente communion (1641) caused a storm - it attracted controversy by being against frequent communion. For 20 years he was forced to withdraw from public life and the faculty at the Sorbonne. He spent a lot of his time writing. He died, aged 82, in Brussels. His complete works -37 volumes in 42 parts was published between 1775-81. Boilrau wrote a famous epitaph The most learned man who ever wrote. Antoine was also regarded as being one of the most important mathematicians of his time His sister Marie Angelique Arnauld became abbess at Port-Royal.( See note) Source Wikipedia

Lancelot was an English bishop and scholar who held high positions in the Church of England during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James 1. During the reign of James I he served successively as Bishop of Chichester (1605-9), Ely (1609-19) and Winchester ( 1619- 1626). In 1571 he entered Pembroke College, Cambridge. He earned a BA and a MA. In 1576 elected fellow at Pemborke. 11th June 1580 he was ordained. He was incorporated MA at Oxford. He oversaw the translation of the King James version of the Bible .His name is the first on the list of divines appointed to compile the authorized version commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. His elder brother Roger also served as a translator. Once a year he would spend a vacation of a month with his parents. He would use this time to study European languages- eventually he acquired most of the modern languages of Europe. He sought to defend and advance Anglican doctrine, criticising both Puritan and Roman Catholic teaching. He was renown his preaching. His most famous book was * Preces Privatae* (1648) - a collection of prayers. Following the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot - November 5th 1605 - he was asked to prepare a sermon to be presented to the king in 1606. In the sermon he justified the need to commemorate the deliverance and defined the nature of celebrations. Read* During Elizabeth’s reign and During the reign of James I* Lancelot’s feast day is 25th September Source Wikipedia

William Ames was an English Puritan minister, philosopher and controversialist. He spent much of his time in the Netherlands. He is noted in the controversy between the Calvinists and the Arminians. ( See notes on both of them) He studied at Christ’s College, Cambridge 1598 -BA and 1601 MA. He was chosen for a fellowship in Christ’s College but it was given instead to Valentine Carey. Similar rebuffs followed and he ended up in the Netherlands. On 7th of May 1622 he was installed at Franeker and stayed for 12 years. He was made rector in 1626. His works were known over Europe and collected at Amsterdam in 5 volumes. In 1633 he caught a cold from a flood which flooded his house and died.

The Act of Uniformity prescribed the form of public prayers, administration of sacraments and other rites of the Established Church of England according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. The Great Ejection meant ministers, who refused to follow the act, were forced out of their position. 2000+ Puritan ministers were ejected out of the C OF E and were now called nonconformists. The Act of Uniformity is one of 4 crucial pieces of legislation known as the Clarendon Code. Source Wikipedia

Isaac was an English Puritan divine. He was born one year after James VI of Scotland became James 1 of Scotland and England(1603-25). He was brought up in a well known Roman Catholic family. Aged 17 he entered Brasenose College Oxford. He graduated in 1624 with a B.A. and ordained. He became one of Charles 1 's itinerant preachers in Lancashire. He spent time in Garstang before he was selected by Lady Margaret Hoghton as vicar of Preston. In 1641 he became a Presbyterian minister and was on the celebrated committee for the ejection of 'scandalous and ignorant ministers and schoolmasters during the Commonwealth. ’ He became caught up in the Civil War - Royalist v Parliamentarians (Charles II v Oliver Cromwell). Twice he was imprisoned by the Royalists. He tried to evade the political controversies of the time. . In 1654, as a result of the Civil War, he left his great church in Preston and moved to Garstang. The 1662 Act of Uniformity saw him ejected, along with 2,000+ ministers, because he refused to conform ( See* Act of Uniformity and Great Ejection*) His gentleness of character and earnest presentation of the gospel attached him to his congregation . As a religious writer he had a vividness and freshness of imagination possessed by few of the puritan Nonconformist. His Looking unto Jesus held its own popular appreciation with the writings of John Bunyan. Source Wikipedia See also sheet House of Stuart and First Interregnum

Michael, born a Jew, became the first Anglican bishop in Jerusalem. He was born into a Jewish family in Prussia and emigrated to England in about 1820. His education in the Talmud began when he was a child. From 16-20 he was a teacher in the community teaching the Talmud and the German language. In Norwich he became a rabbi. While there he came into contact with William Marsh a stalwart of the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews.- (now known as Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People (CMJ)) He attempted to escape the Christian influence by moving to Plymouth to teach. In 1825 he converted to Christianity. In 1827 he moved with his wife, Deborah, to Dublin. In the same year he was ordained into the Anglican church. From 1827-30 he worked for CMJ in Danzig and from 1827-41 in London. In 1841 a unique agreement was reached between the British and Prussian governments - the establishment of a Protestant Bishopric in Jerusalem. Michael - the Jewish born Christian -was appointed bishop in 1842. His position was always controversial - the Jews called him an apostate. He died just 3 years later but by that time he had set up a School of Industry, an Enquirers house, a Hebrew College and the first Hospital in Palestine. Note The Christ Church - a simple Gothic building- was completed in 1849, 4 years after Michael’s unexpected death. Outside it differs very little from many Anglican churches but inside the building has more similarity to a synagogue, Source Wikipedia

Richard Allen was a minister, writer and one of USA’s most active and influential black leaders. He taught himself to read and write. He founded the African Methodist Episcopal church (AME) - the first Black denomination in the USA. He opened the first AME church in Philadelphia in 1794 and in 1816 he was elected their first bishop. He was born into slavery. His family were sold to Stokley Sturgis who had a plantation. Having financial problems Sturgis later sold his mother and two younger siblings,keeping him and his older brother and sister. The three attended the local Methodist Society. The Revd. Freeborn Garrettson came to preach in Delaware in 1775.He preached at Sturgis’s plantation and convinced him that slavery was wrong, This resulted in him giving Richard the chance to buy his freedom. Aged 17 he joined the Methodists Society and began to evangelize which angered the slave owners . In 1780 he bought his freedom having done extra work for Sturgis. He changed his name from Negro Allen to Richard Allen. With his future Flora they establish a church (1787-1799). They married in 1790. In 1800 he met Sarah Bass who became his second wife after Flora, died in 1801 after a long illness. They moved to Philadelphia, married and had 6 children. Sarah was highly active and became in the AME Church the* Founding Mother.* December 1784 he went to the Christmas Conference of the Episcopal Church in North America. Along with harry Hosier they were the only 2 black attendees. In 1786 he became a preacher at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal church but was restricted to the early morning services. Along with Absalom Jones he resented the white leaders segregation of blacks for worship and prayer. They decided to leave St. George’s to create an independent, self-reliant worship for African Americans. 1787 Allen and Jones led the Black members out. They formed the Free African Society (F.A.S.). ( White ministers had to consecrate the bread and wine.) In 1793, during the yellow fever epidemic, Allen and Jones, helped to organize free blacks as essential workers. Allen caught yellow fever and nearly died. 1794 he founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and opened his first church. 1799 ordained as first Black Methodist minister in recognition of.his leadership and preaching (The Blacks still had to negotiate with the white leadership). 1816 he proposed the uniting of the 5 African-American Congregations. The first fully independent Black denomination was created -the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E,). Richard was elected as their first bishop. From 1797 until his death in 1831 Richard and Sarah operated a station in the City of Brotherly Love on the Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves. Richard died in 1831 having firmly established a separate Black Methodist denomination. The A.M.E. is the oldest and largest formal institution in Black America. Source Wikipedia

Alcuin, also known as Ealhwine, Alhwin or Alchoin was a scholar, poet and teacher from York, Northumbria. He became the student of Archbishop Ecgbert. He was a court chancellor in Aachen. At the invitation of Charlemagne he became a leading scholar and teacher at the Carolingian court in France. H e graduated to become a teacher during the 750s. He became the head at York school (now St.Peter’s) where he revived trivium (grammar/rhetoric/logic) and quadrivium disciplines and wrote a codex on the trivium. He became a deacon but was never ordained. In 781 he was sent to Rome by King Elfwald. On his way home he met Charlemagne. who persuaded him to join his court. He joined an illustrious group of scholars. He later wrote the Lord was calling me to the service of King Charles. He became master of the Palace School of Charlemagne. He taught Charlemagne (782-790), his sons Pepin and Louis as well as young men sent to be educated at court and young clerics attached to the palace. He brought with him his assistants from York and revolutionised the educational standards of the school. It became known as the school of Master Albinus (Alcuin’s nickname) In 790 he returned to York for a short time. He failed to influence King AEtheired so he returned to the Carolingian court. He never went back to York , In 796, now in his 60’s, he hoped to retire from court instead Marmoutier Abbey was put into his care by Charlemagne - who could call on him for advice. Alcuin encouraged the monks there to use beautiful Carolingian minuscule script. Carolingian minuscule - using a mixture of upper and lower-case letters - was perfected and restored to purity of the form. by Alcuin. He stayed at the abbey until his death on 19th May 804. According to Einhard’s* Life of Charlemagne* he was considered among the most important intellectual architects of the Carolingian Renaissance. Source Wikipedia

John Alcock was born in Beverley, Yorkshire.and educated at Cambridge University. His greatest achievement was the building of Jesus College, Cambridge which he established on the site of the former Convent of St. Radegund. He made a rapid rise in both the church and the state. 1461 he was made dean of St. Stephen’s Chapel , Westminster. 1462 was made Master of the Rolls. 1470 he was sent as ambassador to the Crown Court of Castile. 1472 8th January, nominated to see at Rochester 15th March, consecrated Bishop of Rochester 1476 15th July, transferred to see of Worcester 1486 6th October, moved to see at Ely H e was the first president of the Council of the Marches in Wales from 1473-1500. H e was Lord Chancellor twice in 1475 and 1485/7. On 7th November 1485 he opened King Henry VII’s Parliament. He was also tutor to Edward V. John was one of the leading pre-Reformation divines. He was a a man of deep learning and had great proficiency restoring many churches and colleges as an architect. Source Wikipedia

Alan of Lille was a French theologian and poet. He is sometimes called Alanus de Montepessulano. He was born in Lille sometime before 1128. His exact date of his death is also unclear - research suggests between 14 April 1202 and 5 April 1203. Although he was widely known during his lifetime there is not a great deal known about his personal life. He had a very widespread reputation during his lifetime and his knowledge caused him to be called Doctor Universalis. As a theologian he was opposed to scholasticism in the second half of the 12th century. He claimed in order to understand religious truth and to know God,the wise must believe in faith. His philosophy was a mixture of Aristotelian logic and Neoplatonic philosophy. The is a long list of works attributed to him (See List of known works) but there are several Alains so it is uncertain how many of the works listed are actually his. Notable works actually written by him include*The Plaint of Nature, Anticlaudiamus and the Art of Preaching. Source Wikipedia

Johann or Johannes Agricola (originally Schneider, than Schnitter) was a German Protestant Reformer during the Protestant Reformation. He was born at Eisleben where he is sometimes called M agister Islebius. He studied at Wittenberg where he gained the friendship of Martin Luther. Together, in 1519 they attended the great assembly of German divines at Leipzig where he acted as recording secretary. After some time in Wittenberg he went in Frankfurt in 1525 to establish the Protestant mode of worship. Within a month he was called to Eisleben where he taught at St. Andrew’s school and preached in the Nicolai church until 1526… In 1536 he was recalled to Wittenberg and initially welcomed by Luther. Back in 1526 they had controversial disagreement over the binding obligation of the law on Christians- this broke out more violently then before. He was unable to appease the Adiaphoristic controversy. (See * Controversyand note from Britannica) He wrote an attack shortly after Luther had given him shelter when he was fleeing persecution. Luther had nothing further to do with him. He escaped to Berlin where Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg, appointed him court preacher and general superintendent. He held both posts until his death 30 years later. His career there was one of great activity and influence. He died during an epidemic of plague on 22nd September 1566. He wrote a number of theological works (See Writings) Sources Wikipedia Britannica

Albert of Cologne ( known under 3 names) was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist and bishop. An encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary convinced him to enter Holy Orders. In 1223 or 1229 and he became a member of the Dominican Order. He lectured in Cologne, Regensburg, Freiburg, Strasburg and Hildesheim. He became a full time professor at th e University of Paris holding the seat of the Chair of Theology at the college of St. James. Thomas Aquinas was one of his students. In 1254 he was made provincial of the Dominican Order and fulfilled the duties of the office with great care and efficiency. In 1258 he sorted out the* der Grofie Schied*- the big verdict- to sort out the conflict between the citizens of Cologne and the archbishop. In 1260 Pope Alexander IV made him bishop of Rogensburg. To enhance his reputation for humility, and in accord with the dictates of the his Order, he refused to ride a horse, he walked his huge diocese on foot. In 1263 Pope Urban IV asked him to preach the eighth Crusade in German speaking countries. He became known as a mediator between conflicting parties. He founded Cologne University, German’s oldest university. In 1274 he grieved when his former student Thomas Aquinas died. In 1278 he became ill and died on 15th November 1280. He was possibly 87 when he died. During his life time he studied many different subjects. For the breadth of his achievements he was bestowed the name Doctor Universalis. His knowledge of natural science was considerable for the age and remarkably accurate. In 1899 his writing were collected and went to 38 volumes. Scholars have referred to Albert as the greatest German philosopher and theologian of the Middle Ages. In 1931 the Catholic Church distinguished him as one of the 37 Doctors of the Church ). Source Wikipedia

Denis was a French Catholic who served as Archbishop of Paris (1840-8). He was killed by a ‘stray’ bullet during the June Days uprising in Paris. On June 23rd 1848 a large segment of the citizens of Paris rioted because the French government had decided to close the National Workshops it had recently created. Paris was facing starvation. Denis, as archbishop, was begged by Frederic Ozanam to intervene to stop the bloodshed. He mounted the barricades bearing a green branch as a sign of peace. He was lead to believe his personal involvement peace might be restored between the military and the insurgents As he began to speak there was an exchange of fire arms - a ‘stray’ bullet hit Denis which would prove fatal. He was taken to his palace where he died on 27th June. A public funeral was held on 7th July. The crowd following the cortege was estimated at 200,000. His cause for canonization has commenced and he is venerated as a Servant of God within the Catholic Church. Source wikipedia

Aelred of Rievaulx was an English Cistercian monk, abbot from 1147 until his death (20 years later) . He best known as a writer. Both Anglicans and Catholics regard him as a saint. His early education was probably at the cathedral school in Durham. From about the age of 14 he spent time at the court of King David I of Scotland in Roxburgh, rising to the rank of echonomus (steward or master of the Household)… He left the court aged 24, in 1134, to enter the Cistercian abbey of Rievaylx in Yorkshire. He was the son of Eilaf, a priest, so he was forbidden, when he became an adult, by the 1095 Council of Claremont, ordination as a priest so he became a monk. ( This was done in part to prevent the inheritance of benefices.) In 1142 he travelled to Rome. On his return he became novice master at Rievaulx. In 1143 appointed abbot of the new Ravesby Abbey. 1147 elected abbot of Rievaulx, a position he held until his death in 1167. All of Aelred’s works have appeared in translation, most in English and French. ( See Writings) David Knowles, a historian of monasticism in England , describes him, for efforts in writing and administration, as the St. Bernard of the North, a singularly attractive character, no other English monk of the twelfth century so lingers in the memory.

AElfric was an English abbot and student of AEthelwold of Winchester. He was a prolific writer in the Old English of hagiography, homilies, biblical commentaries and other genres. He wrote 2 sets of 40 homilies and then wrote 3 works to help students learn Latin - the Grammar, the Glossary and the Colloquy. A third set ,* Lives of Saints* dated from 996-7. AEthelwold asked him to translate from the Old Testament the beginning of Genesis from Latin into Old English. This was the very first time the Old Testament was translated into Old English. Rather than translate it verbatim he translated it by its meaning. In 1005 he moved to AEthelwold’s new monastery in Eynsham where he was the monastery’s first abbot. He died in 1010… He left careful instructions to future scribes to copy his work carefully. He did not want it marred by the introduction of unorthodox passages and scribal errors. AElfric was the most prolific writer in Old English.His main theme was God’s mercy. In 2022 a blue plaque was unveiled in Eynsham in recognition of his work. According to Claudio Leonardi he represented the highest pinnacle of Benedictine reform and Anglo-Saxon literature. Source Wikipedia

Adrian IV, originally Nicholas Breakspear, was born in Abbot’s Langley, Hertfordshire. he was educated in Franceand became ab Augustine monk and abbot in 1137. While on a trip to Rome he was retained in papal service and elevated to cardinal (c1150). He went on various diplomatic missions to Catalonia, Scandinavia and Sweden. He was appointed bishop of Alano around 1140. He became pope in 1154 on the death of Pope Anastasius IV. For unknown reasons, probably at the request of his predecessor, he was elected pope by the other cardinals. He was unable to complete his coronation service due to the state of politics in Rome. Afterwards he decisively restored the papal authority. He crowned Frederick I (Barbarossa) Holy Roman Emperor. They had a stormy relationship - it started badly and got progressively worse. His relationship with England seemed to have remained generally good. He showered St.Albans Abbey with privileges and granted Henry ll policies where he could. Sources Wikipedia *The Hodder & Stoughton Book of famous Christians * by Tony Castle

Pierre Abelard, born Pierre ie Pellet, was a French scholastic, philosopher, leading logician, poet, composer and musician of the 12th century. He is considered a forerunner of Rousseau, Kent and Spinoza. He is sometimes credited as a chief forerunner of modern empiricism. He is considered to be the most significant forerunner also of the modern self-reflective autobiography - The History of my Calamities -his publicly distributed letter. In history and popular culture he is best known for his passionate and tragic love affair with his brilliant student and eventual wife, Heloise d’Argenteuil. They had a son, Astrolabe, before he was castrated by her uncle Fulbert’s men. In shame he embraced the monastic life. Afterwards both went into monasteries. In Catholic theology he is best known for his development of the concept of limbo, and his introduction of the moral influence theory on Atonement. He wrote a number of books and modern editions and translations of his work are available. (See List) Pierre is considered one of the founders of the secular university and pre-Renaissance secular philosophical thought. Sources Wikipedia Britannica

George Abbot was an English divine who was Archbishop of Canterbury form 1611-1633. He was a translator of the King James Version of the Bible. He also served as the fourth chancellor of the University of Dublin from 1612-1633. He was a conscientious prelate , though narrow in view and often harsh towards both separatists and roman catholics. He wrote a large number of works and was one of the translators of the 1611 King James version of the Bible. George accidently shot a gamekeeper in 1621. A commission met to consider whether he was fit for the primacy- King James exercised his vote in his favour. Gustavus Paine notes that George was both translator of the 1611 Bible and the only Archbishop Canterbury to kill a human being. He was born and buried in Guildford. His legacy there is a hospital, a secondary school, a pub and a statue in the High Street. Source Wikipedia

Jacob Knapp was a popular Baptist preacher of the 19th century. In 1821 he entered a theological college at Hamilton, New York (now Colgate University) He began active work at the Baptist church in Springfield, New York and managed a farm. He moved to Watertown where he became both pastor and manager of a large farm. In 1832 he experienced a deeper religious impression which he called his second conversion. He applied to the New York Sate Baptist convention to become a missionary. They hesitated and he began preaching as an evangelist on his own responsibility. He preached at first in school houses and obscure churches but he was soon sought after by larger churches and distinguished parsons. In Baltimore, Boston and New York vast numbers attended his preaching to the extent protection by the civil authorities was necessary. His preaching was stern and terrible, yet cultivated. 1000s believed they were converted under his ministry. In 1845 he published a collection of hymns The Evangelical Harp: A new Collection of Hymns and Tunes Designed for Revivals of Religion and For Family and Social Worship Jacob lived to the age of 74; he died on 2nd March 1874. During his lifetime 1000s had heard him preach and many were converted.