View source for Regius Professor of Divinity

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

The '''Regius Professorships of [[Divinity (academic discipline)|Divinity]]''' are amongst the oldest professorships at the [[University of Oxford]] and the [[List of professorships at the University of Cambridge|University of Cambridge]]. A third chair existed for a period at [[Trinity College Dublin]].

The Oxford and Cambridge chairs were founded by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]]. The chair at Cambridge originally had a stipend of £40 per year (which is still paid to the incumbent by Trinity College), later increased by [[James VI and I|James I]] with the rectory of [[Somersham]], Cambridgeshire.{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}}

==Professors at Oxford==
* [[Richard Smyth (Regius Professor)|Richard Smyth]], DD, Fellow of Merton, and Principal of St Alban Hall (1535){{citation needed|date=July 2022}}
* [[Pietro Martire Vermigli|Peter Martyr]], DD, of the University of Padua, Canon of Christ Church (1548)
* [[Richard Smyth (Regius Professor)|Richard Smyth]] again; Canon of Christ Church (1554)
* [[Juan de Villagarcia]], known as Joannes Fraterculus (a Spanish Dominican), BD, Divinity Reader of Magdalen College (1556)
* [[Richard Smyth (Regius Professor)|Richard Smyth]] again (1559)
* [[Lawrence Humphrey]], MA, Fellow, afterwards President, of Magdalen; DD (1560)
* [[Thomas Holland (translator)|Thomas Holland]], DD, Fellow of Balliol; Rector of Exeter (1589)
* [[Robert Abbot (bishop)|Robert Abbot]], DD, Master of Balliol; afterwards Bishop of Salisbury (1612)
* [[John Prideaux]], DD, Rector of Exeter; afterwards Bishop of Worcester (1615)
* [[Robert Sanderson (theologian)|Robert Sanderson]], DD, sometime Fellow of Lincoln (1642)
* [[Robert Crosse (theologian)|Robert Crosse]], BD, Fellow of Lincoln (1648)
* [[Joshua Hoyle]], DD, Master of University (1648)
* [[John Conant]], DD, Rector of Exeter (1654)
* [[Robert Sanderson (theologian)|Robert Sanderson]], DD, restored; afterwards Bishop of Lincoln (1660)
* [[William Creed (clergyman)|William Creed]], DD, sometime Fellow of St John's (1661)
* [[Richard Allestree]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (1663)
* [[William Jane]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (1680)
* [[John Potter (Archbishop)|John Potter]], DD, Fellow of Lincoln; Bishop of Oxford; afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury (1707)
* [[George Rye]], DD, sometime Fellow of Oriel; Archdeacon of Oxford (1737)
* [[John Fanshawe]], DD, Student of Christ Church, and Regius Professor of Greek (1741)
* [[Edward Bentham]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (1763)
* [[Benjamin Wheeler (theologian)|Benjamin Wheeler]], DD, Fellow of Magdalen (1776)
* [[John Randolph (Bishop of London)|John Randolph]], DD, Student of Christ Church, Professor of Poetry, and Regius Professor of Greek; Bishop of London; afterwards Bishop of Bangor, then of London (1783)<ref>{{Cite ODNB|id=23120|title=Randolph, John}}</ref>
* [[Charles Hall (priest)|Charles Henry Hall]], DD, Canon of Christ Church; afterwards Dean (1807)
* [[William Howley]], DD, Canon of Christ Church; afterwards Bishop of London, Archbishop of Canterbury (1809)
* [[William Van Mildert]], DD, Queen's; afterwards Bishop of Llandaff and Dean of St Paul's, Bishop of Durham (1813)
* [[Frodsham Hodson]], DD, Principal of Brasenose (1820)
* [[Charles Lloyd (bishop)|Charles Lloyd]], Student of Christ Church; Bishop of Oxford (1822)
* [[Edward Burton (theologian)|Edward Burton]], DD, Student of Christ Church (1829)
* [[Renn Dickson Hampden]], DD, Principal of St Mary Hall; afterwards Bishop of Hereford (1836)
* [[William Jacobson]], MA, Vice-Principal of Magdalen Hall and Public Orator, sometime Fellow of Exeter; DD, afterwards Bishop of Chester (1848)
* [[Robert Payne Smith]], MA, Pembroke; DD; afterwards Dean of Canterbury (1865)
* [[James Bowling Mozley]], BD, sometime Fellow of Magdalen; DD (1871)
* [[William Ince (theologian)|William Ince]], MA, Fellow of Exeter; DD; Canon of Christ Church (1878)
* [[Henry Scott Holland]], MA, Hon DLitt, sometime Student of Christ Church; DD; Canon of Christ Church (1911)
* [[Arthur Cayley Headlam]], DD, sometime Fellow of All Souls; Canon of Christ Church (1918)
* [[Henry Leighton Goudge]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (1923)
* [[Oliver Chase Quick]], MA, Canon of Christ Church; afterwards DD (1939)
* [[Leonard Hodgson]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (1944)
* [[Henry Chadwick (theologian)|Henry Chadwick]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (MusB, DD Cantab.; Hon DD Glas) (1959)
* [[Maurice Wiles]], DD, Canon of Christ Church (BD, MA Cantab.) (1970)
* [[Keith Ward]], BLitt, MA, DD, Canon of Christ Church (BA Wales; MA Cantab.; DD Oxon.; DD Cantab.; HonDD Glas) (1991)
* [[Marilyn McCord Adams]], AB Illinois; PhD Cornell; ThM Princeton Theological Seminary; Canon of Christ Church (2004)
* [[Graham Ward (theologian)|Graham Ward]] Canon of Christ Church (MA, PhD Cantab.) (2012–2024)
* [[Andrew Davison (theologian)|Andrew Paul Davison]], Canon of Christ Church (2024–present)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=64530|page=19142 | date=2 October 2024 }}</ref>

(Sources:  ''Oxford Historical Register 1200-1900'' and supplements; and the ''Oxford University Calendar'')

* See also: [[Theology Faculty of the University of Oxford]]

==Professors at Cambridge==
* [[Edward Wigan]], alias Guy (1540)<ref>{{acad|WGN508E|Wigan, Edward}}</ref>
* [[John Madew]] (c.1545)<ref>{{acad|MDW529J|Madew, John}}</ref>
* [[Martin Bucer]] (1550)<ref>{{acad|BCR550M|Bucer, Martin}}</ref>
** In 1553 Archbishop [[Thomas Cranmer]] offered the Regius Chair to [[Philip Melanchthon]], who declined the offer 
* [[John Young (professor)|John Young]] (1555)<ref>{{acad|YN535J|Young, John}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Sedgwick]] (1557)<ref>{{acad|SGWK529T|Sedgwick, Thomas}}</ref>
* [[James Pilkington (bishop)|James Pilkington]] (1559)<ref>{{acad|PLKN538J|Pilkington, James}}</ref>
* [[Leonard Pilkington]] (1561)<ref>{{acad|PLKN544L|Pilkington, Leonard}}</ref>
* [[Matthew Hutton (Archbishop of York)|Matthew Hutton]] (1562)<ref>{{acad|HTN546M|Hutton, Matthew}}</ref>
* [[John Whitgift]] (1567)<ref>{{acad|WHTT550J|Whitgift, John}}</ref>
* [[William Chaderton]] (1569)<ref>{{acad|CHDN555W|Chaderton, William}}</ref>
* [[William Whitaker (theologian)|William Whitaker]] (1580)<ref>{{acad|WHTR564W|Whitaker, William}}</ref>
* [[John Overall (bishop)|John Overall]] (1596)
* [[John Richardson (translator)|John Richardson]] (1607)<ref>{{cite DNB |wstitle= Richardson, John (d.1625) |last= Cooper |first=Thompson |author-link= Thompson Cooper |volume= 48 |pages= 227-228 |short=1}}</ref>
* [[Samuel Collins (theologian)|Samuel Collins]] (1617)
* [[John Arrowsmith (scholar)|John Arrowsmith]] (1651)
* [[Anthony Tuckney]] (1656)
* [[Peter Gunning]] (1661)
* [[Joseph Beaumont]] (1674)
* [[Henry James (Regius Professor)|Henry James]] (1700)
* [[Richard Bentley]] (1717)
* [[John Whalley (theologian)|John Whalley]] (1742)
* [[John Green (bishop)|John Green]] (?)
* [[Thomas Rutherforth]] (1745)
* [[Richard Watson (bishop)|Richard Watson]] (1771)
* [[John Kaye (English bishop)|John Kaye]] (1816)
* [[Thomas Turton]] (1827)
* [[Alfred Ollivant (bishop)|Alfred Ollivant]] (1843)
* [[James Amiraux Jeremie]] (1850)
* [[Brooke Foss Westcott]] (1870)
* [[Henry Barclay Swete]] (1890)
* [[Vincent Henry Stanton]] (1916)
* [[Alexander Nairne]] (1922)
* [[Charles Earle Raven]] (1932)
* [[Arthur Michael Ramsey]] (1950)<ref>{{cite ODNB|id=40002|title=Ramsey, (Arthur) Michael, Baron Ramsey of Canterbury}}</ref>
* [[John Burnaby]] (1952)
* [[Edward Craddock Ratcliffe]] (1958)
* [[Dennis Eric Nineham]] (1964)<ref>{{cite news |last=Harvey |first=Anthony |date=27 May 2016 |title=The Revd Professor Dennis Eric Nineham |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2016/27-may/gazette/obituaries/the-revd-professor-dennis-eric-nineham |department=Obituary |newspaper=[[Church Times]] |publication-place=London |access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref>
* [[Geoffrey Hugo Lampe]] (1971)
* [[Henry Chadwick (theologian)|Henry Chadwick]] (1979)<ref>{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Rowan |author-link=Rowan Williams |date=19 June 2008 |title=Henry Chadwick |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/19/religion |department=Obituary |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |publication-place=London |access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref>
* [[Stephen Sykes]] (1985)<ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=David |date=24 October 2014 |title=The Rt Revd Stephen Whitefield Sykes |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/24-october/gazette/obituaries/obituary-the-rt-revd-stephen-whitefield-sykes |department=Obituary |newspaper=[[Church Times]] |publication-place=London |access-date=10 September 2019}}</ref>
* [[David F. Ford|David Frank Ford]] (1991)
* [[Ian Alexander McFarland]] (2015)<ref>{{cite journal |title=Elections, appointments, reappointments, and grants of title |url=https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2014-15/weekly/6382/section2.shtml#heading2-9 |journal=[[Cambridge University Reporter]] |issue=6382 |date=15 April 2015 |page=454 |access-date=5 September 2019}}</ref>
* [[David Fergusson (theologian)|David Fergusson]] (2021)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-david-fergusson-obe-ma-bd-dphil-dd-fba-frse|title=Professor David Fergusson OBE, DD, FRSE, FBA|date=24 March 2021}}</ref>

===Official coat of arms===
According to a grant of 1590, the office of Regius Professor of "Devinity" at Cambridge has a [[coat of arms]] with the following [[blazon]]:<ref>''A Complete Guide to Heraldry'' by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (1909), pp. 587-588.</ref>

{{Infobox COA wide
 |image      = Regius Professor Divinity (Cantab).svg
 |escutcheon = Gules, on a cross ermine, between four doves argent, a book of the first, the leaves or, charged in the midst with the Greek letter θ (Theta) sable.
 |crest      = On a wreath "silver and gules," a dove volant argent, with an olive-branch vert in his beak.
 |mantling   = Gules, double argent.
|}}

==Professors at Dublin==
The Regius Professor of Divinity at [[Trinity College Dublin]] was established in 1607 as the "Professor of Theological Controversies".<ref name="Dixon24"/><ref name="calendar1867"/> The endowment was increased in 1674 by [[letters patent]] of [[Charles II of England|Charles II]].<ref name="calendar1867"/> The title "Regius Professor" was specified in 1761 by letters patent of [[George III]].<ref name="calendar1867"/><ref name="MacDonnell1844">{{cite book|last=MacDonnell|first=Hercules Henry Graves|title=Chartæ et statuta collegii Sacrosanctæ et individuæ Trinitatis reginæ Elizabethæ juxta Dublin. [Edited by H. H. G. Mac Donnell.]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hwdeAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA147|access-date=23 March 2017|year=1844|publisher=M.H. Gill|language=la|page=147}}</ref> The School of Divinity was founded in the late 18th century with the Regius Professor as its head.<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/trinitycollegedu00dixouoft#page/186 Dixon 1902, p.186]</ref> The School's link to the [[Church of Ireland]] was controversial after the [[Irish Church Act 1869]] disestablished the church and the [[University of Dublin Tests Act 1873]] allowed non-Anglican [[University don|fellow]]s.<ref name="anglican6606"/> The debate became dormant after 1911 letters patent altered the School's governance.<ref name="anglican6606">{{cite web|url=https://www.ireland.anglican.org/news/6606/the-foundation-and-development-of|title=Church of Ireland Divinity Hostel – A Summary of RCBL MS1043|last=Hanily|first=Sean|date=1 October 2016|work=Archive of the Month|publisher=Church of Ireland|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Webb1993">{{cite web|url=https://www.tcd.ie/registrar/assets/documents/statutes/64-Appendices_Divinity_School_CouncilPDF[67.2KB].pdf |title=Appendix 1 – Divinity School Council Prefatory Note|last=Webb|first=David|year=1993|work=Consolidated Statutes|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref> It reignited in the 1960s, after which vacancies in the School of Divinity went unfilled,<ref name="anglican6606" /><ref name="Webb1993" /> including the Regius Professorship in 1982.<ref name="reformireland">{{cite web|url=http://www.reform-ireland.org/ArticleDetails/3|title=The Gospel and CITC; A brief historical survey.|date=1 December 2004|publisher=Reform Ireland|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref> The School of Divinity was replaced in 1978–81 by a non-denominational School of Hebrew, Biblical and Theological Studies (renamed the Department of Religions and Theology in 2004) although the statutes mandating a School and Regius Professor of Divinity remain unrepealed.<ref name="Webb1993"/><ref name="reformireland"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcd.ie/Religions_Theology/about/|title=About Us|work=Department of Religions and Theology|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref>

Professors were:<ref name="calendar1867">{{cite book|title=The Dublin University Calendar|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6m0tAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA247|year=1867|pages=247–249|chapter=Regius Professor of Divinity}}</ref>

===Professors of Divinity===
*1: 1591– ([[Luke Challoner]])<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.dippam.ac.uk/eppi/documents/16581/page/441088 |title=Report |author=Commissioners to inquire into certain matters relating to the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth, near Dublin |series=[[Command paper]]s |date=1878 |publisher=HMSO |location=Dublin |volume=C.2045 |page=6|access-date=23 March 2017}}</ref>
*2: 1607–21 [[James Ussher]]<ref name="dnbUssher">{{cite DNB|wstitle=Ussher, James|volume=58|first=Alexander|last= Gordon}}</ref>
*3: 1621–23 ([[Samuel Ward (minister)|Samuel Ward]])
*4: 1623–48 [[Joshua Hoyle]]<ref name="Dixon24">[https://archive.org/stream/trinitycollegedu00dixouoft#page/186 Dixon 1902, p.24]</ref>
*5: 1662–70 [[Richard Lingard]]
*6: 1670–78 [[Michael Ward (bishop)|Michael Ward]]
*7: 1678–92 [[William Palliser (bishop)|William Palliser]]
*8: 1693–99 [[George Browne (provost)|George Browne]]
*9: 1699– [[Owen Lloyd (priest)|Owen Lloyd]]
*10: 1714– [[Richard Baldwin (provost)|Richard Baldwin]]
*11: 1722– [[Claudius Gilbert]]
*12: 1743– Henry Clarke
*13: 1746– John Pellisier
*14: 1753– John Lawson
*15: 1759– Brabazon <!-- not [[Brabazon Disney]] -->Disney

===Regius Professors of Divinity===
*15: 1761– Brabazon <!-- not [[Brabazon Disney]] -->Disney
*16: 1790–1819 James Drought
*17: 1819–29 [[Richard Graves (theologian)|Richard Graves]], D.D. [[Dean of Ardagh]]<ref>Curry, William, jun. ''The picture of Dublin: or, Stranger's guide to the Irish metropolis'' 1835- Page 34  "The Divinity School consists of the Regius Professor of Divinity, and Archbishop King's Lecturer, each of whom has his assistants."</ref><ref>Dublin University magazine: a literary and political journal 1841- Volume 17 - Page 634 "The whole Works of Richard Graves, D.D. late Dean of Ardagh, and Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin, now first collected, with a Memoir of his Life and Writings, by his son, Richard Hastings Graves, D.D., Rector of Brigown ..."</ref>
*18: 1829–50 [[Charles Richard Elrington]]<ref>The Dublin university magazine 1834 - Volume 4 - Page 352  "C. R. ELRINGTON, Regius Professor of Divinity."</ref><ref>The Irish Archaeological Society - Irish Archaeological Society 1841- Volume 1 - Page 118 "Rev. Charles R. Elrington, D.D., M.R.I.A., Regius Professor of Divinity, Dublin."</ref>
*19: 1850–62 [[Joseph Henderson Singer]]
*20: 1852–66 [[Samuel Butcher (bishop)|Samuel Butcher]]<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Howard |first1=Joseph Jackson |last2=Crisp |first2=Frederick Arthur |title=Visitation of Ireland |volume=II |page=[https://archive.org/details/visitationofirel02howa/page/69 69] |publisher=Privately printed |year=1898 |name-list-style=amp |url=https://archive.org/details/visitationofirel02howa }}</ref>
*21: 1866–88 [[George Salmon]]
*22: 1888–1917 [[John Gwynn (professor)|John Gwynn]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.patrickcomerford.com/2013_09_19_archive.html |title=The Revd Professor RM Gwynn (1877-1962) |first=Patrick |last=Comerford |work=patrickcomerford.com |date=19 September 2013 |access-date=5 October 2013}}</ref>
*23: 1917–30 Alan Hugh McNeile<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcd.ie/tcbs/about/|title=About|work=Trinity Centre for Biblical Studies|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref>
*24: 1930–35 Newport John Davis White<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcd.ie/assets/documents/calendar/part1_prizes_and_other_awards.pdf#page=33 |format=PDF|title=Prizes and other Awards|work=Calendar 2006–07|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|pages=Newport White Prize |no-pp=y|quote=This prize was founded in 1935 by a gift from N. J. D. White, Regius Professor of Divinity 1930–35 |access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref>
*25: 1935–57 [[John Oulton|John Ernest Leonard Oulton]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.trinitynewsarchive.ie/pdf/04-08.pdf#page=2|title=Obituary: John Ernest Leonard Oulton|date=7 February 1957|work=Trinity News|publisher=Trinity College Dublin|page=2|access-date=23 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="it263801">{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/academic-who-modernised-the-study-of-theology-at-trinity-1.263801|title=Academic who modernised the study of theology at Trinity|date=22 April 2000|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hup.harvard.edu/results-list.php?author=3609|title=J. E. L. Oulton|work=Harvard University Press|publisher=[[Harvard University]]|access-date=22 March 2017}}</ref>
*26: 1957–62 [[Richard Randall Hartford]]<ref name="it263801" />
*27: 1964–82 [[Hugh Frederic Woodhouse]]<ref name="Semple2007">{{cite book|last=Semple|first=Patrick|title=The Rector who Wouldn't Pray for Rain|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C8YkeNxeyXwC&pg=PA89|access-date=22 March 2017|year=2007|publisher=Mercier Press Ltd|isbn=9781856355605|page=89}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Regius Professor]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Dixon|first=W. Macneile|author-link=William Macneile Dixon|date=1902|title=Trinity College, Dublin|url=https://archive.org/details/trinitycollegedu00dixouoft |series=College Histories|location=London|publisher=F. E. Robinson & Co.|asin=B000J2LZNK|lccn=02021239|oclc=2572402|ol=1091957W|access-date=22 August 2015}}

{{Regius Professors of Divinity}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Professor of Divinity, Regius}}
[[Category:Religion in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Regius Professors of Divinity (University of Cambridge)| ]]
[[Category:Professorships at the University of Oxford|Divinity, Regius]]
[[Category:Professorships at the University of Cambridge|Divinity, Regius]]
[[Category:Regius Professorships|Divinity]]
[[Category:Professorships in divinity|Divinity, Regius]]
[[Category:School of Arts and Humanities, University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:Lists of people associated with the University of Oxford]]
[[Category:1535 establishments in England]]