Arthur Peake
Encyclopedia
Arthur Samuel Peake was an English biblical scholar, born at Leek, Staffordshire
, and educated at St John's College, Oxford
. He was the first holder of the Rylands Chair of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis in the University of Manchester
, from its establishment as an independent institution in 1904. He was thus the first non-Anglican to become a professor of divinity in an English university.
, from where Arthur attended Ludlow Grammar School
, and Coventry
, where he studied at King Henry VIII School. There he won a classical
scholarship to study at St John's College, Oxford
.
Arriving in Oxford in 1883, he studied the classics without great success for two years, but then switched to the study of theology, in which he excelled, winning a first class degree and a further scholarship. Although he formed at this time an intention to seek ordination in the Church of England, he was never ordained, remaining a Methodist layman for the rest of his life.
, and from 1890 to 1897 held a fellowship at Merton College
.
In 1892, however, he was invited to become tutor at the Primitive Methodist Theological Institute in Manchester
, which was renamed Hartley College in 1906. He was largely responsible for broadening the curriculum which intending Primitive Methodist ministers were required to follow, and for raising the standards of the training.
In 1895-1912 he served as lecturer in the Lancashire Independent College, from 1904 to 1912 also in the United Methodist College at Manchester. In 1904 he was appointed Rylands professor of biblical exegesis
in the University of Manchester.
Peake was also active as a layman in wider Methodist circles, and did a great deal to further the reunion of Methodism which took effect in 1932, three years after his death. In the wider ecumenical sphere Peake worked for the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches, serving as president in 1928, and was a member of the Conference on Faith and Order held in Lausanne in 1927. He published and lectured extensively, but is best remembered for his one-volume commentary on the Bible (1919), which, in its revised form, is still in use.
The University of Aberdeen
made him an honorary D. D.
in 1907. He was a governor of the John Rylands Library
.
Dr. Peake also wrote separate commentaries on Hebrews (1902; Century Bible), Colossians (1903; Expositor's Greek Testament), Job (1905; Century Bible), Jeremiah (1910–12; Century Bible), and Isaiah xl-lxvi (1912).
A portrait of him is at the John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester.
Leek, Staffordshire
Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council...
, and educated at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
. He was the first holder of the Rylands Chair of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis in the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, from its establishment as an independent institution in 1904. He was thus the first non-Anglican to become a professor of divinity in an English university.
Early life
Arthur Peake was born in Leek on 24 November 1865 into a family of long-established Primitive Methodists, of which his father was a minister. He had four brothers and two sisters. The family moved several times during Arthur's childhood, with longest stays at LeintwardineLeintwardine
Leintwardine is a large village and civil parish in north Herefordshire, England, close to the border with Shropshire.- Roman Leintwardine :...
, from where Arthur attended Ludlow Grammar School
Ludlow College
Ludlow College is a sixth form college situated in the heart of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. Its history traces back to 1200, when it was known as Ludlow Grammar School. This makes Ludlow College one of the oldest educational institutions in England....
, and Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, where he studied at King Henry VIII School. There he won a classical
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
scholarship to study at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
.
Arriving in Oxford in 1883, he studied the classics without great success for two years, but then switched to the study of theology, in which he excelled, winning a first class degree and a further scholarship. Although he formed at this time an intention to seek ordination in the Church of England, he was never ordained, remaining a Methodist layman for the rest of his life.
Academic career
In 1890-92 he was a lecturer at Mansfield College, OxfordMansfield College, Oxford
Mansfield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Of the colleges that accept both undergraduate and graduate students Mansfield College is one of the smallest, comprising approximately 210 undergraduates, 130 graduates, 35 visiting students and 50...
, and from 1890 to 1897 held a fellowship at Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
.
In 1892, however, he was invited to become tutor at the Primitive Methodist Theological Institute in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, which was renamed Hartley College in 1906. He was largely responsible for broadening the curriculum which intending Primitive Methodist ministers were required to follow, and for raising the standards of the training.
In 1895-1912 he served as lecturer in the Lancashire Independent College, from 1904 to 1912 also in the United Methodist College at Manchester. In 1904 he was appointed Rylands professor of biblical exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
in the University of Manchester.
Peake was also active as a layman in wider Methodist circles, and did a great deal to further the reunion of Methodism which took effect in 1932, three years after his death. In the wider ecumenical sphere Peake worked for the National Council of Evangelical Free Churches, serving as president in 1928, and was a member of the Conference on Faith and Order held in Lausanne in 1927. He published and lectured extensively, but is best remembered for his one-volume commentary on the Bible (1919), which, in its revised form, is still in use.
The University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
made him an honorary D. D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
in 1907. He was a governor of the John Rylands Library
John Rylands Library
The John Rylands Library is a Victorian Gothic building on Deansgate in Manchester, England. The library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her late husband, John Rylands...
.
Selected publications
Among Dr. Peake's publications are:- A Guide to Biblical Study (1897)
- The Problem of Suffering in the Old Testament (1904)
- The Religion of Israel (1908)
- Critical Introduction to the New Testament (1909)
- Heroes and Martyrs of Faith (1910)
- The Bible: its Origin, its Significance, and its Abiding Worth (1913)
- A Commentary on the Bible (with the assistance of A. J. Grieve for the New Testament) (1919)
- The Servant of Yahweh: lectures given at London and Manchester, 1904-26 (1931) (edited posthumously)
Dr. Peake also wrote separate commentaries on Hebrews (1902; Century Bible), Colossians (1903; Expositor's Greek Testament), Job (1905; Century Bible), Jeremiah (1910–12; Century Bible), and Isaiah xl-lxvi (1912).
A portrait of him is at the John Rylands University Library, University of Manchester.