George Anthony Denison
Encyclopedia
George Anthony Denison was a Church of England
priest.
, he was born at Ossington
, Nottinghamshire
, and educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
. In 1828 he was elected fellow of Oriel
; and after a few years there as a tutor, during which he was ordained and acted as curate at Cuddesdon
, he became rector of Broadwindsor
, Dorset
(1838). He became a prebendary
of Sarum in 1841 and of Wells
in 1849. In 1851 he was preferred to the valuable living of East Brent, Somerset
, and in the same year was made Archdeacon of Taunton.
For many years Archdeacon Denison represented the extreme High Tory party not only in politics but in the Church, regarding all progressive movements in education or theology as abomination, and vehemently repudiating the higher criticism from the days of Essays and Reviews
(1860) to those of Lux Mundi
(1890). In 1853 he resigned his position as examining chaplain to the bishop of Bath and Wells
owing to his pronounced eucharistic views. A suit on the complaint of a neighboring clergyman ensued and after various complications Denison was condemned by the archbishop's court at Bath (1856); but on appeal the Court of Arches and the privy council
quashed this judgment on a technical plea.
The result was to make Denison a keen champion of the ritualistic school. He edited The Church and State Review (1862–1865). Secular state education and the conscience clause
were anathema to him. Until the end of his life he remained a protagonist in theological controversy and a keen fighter against latitudinarianism and liberalism
; but the sharpest religious or political differences never broke his personal friendships and his Christian charity. Among other things for which he will be remembered was his origination of the harvest festival
.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
priest.
Life
Brother of politician John Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount OssingtonJohn Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount Ossington
John Evelyn Denison, 1st Viscount Ossington PC was a British statesman. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1857 to 1872.-Background and education:...
, he was born at Ossington
Ossington
Ossington is a village in the county of Nottinghamshire, England 7 miles north of Newark on Trent.It is centred around the site of Ossington Hall, the ancestral home of the Denison family. The house was demolished in 1964 and all that remains are a few out-buildings and the private chapel which...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, and educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. In 1828 he was elected fellow of Oriel
Oriel
An oriel window is a type of bay window which projects from a wall.Oriel may also refer to:Places in the United Kingdom:*Oriel College, Oxford*Oriel Street, Oxford*Oriel Square, Oxford*Oriel Chambers, LiverpoolPlaces in Ireland:...
; and after a few years there as a tutor, during which he was ordained and acted as curate at Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon
Cuddesdon is an east Oxfordshire village about east of Oxford. It is notable as the location of Ripon College Cuddesdon....
, he became rector of Broadwindsor
Broadwindsor
Broadwindsor is a village in west Dorset, England, two miles west of Beaminster. The village has a population of 1,218 .Broadwindsor was also formerly a liberty, containing only the parish itself....
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
(1838). He became a prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Sarum in 1841 and of Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
in 1849. In 1851 he was preferred to the valuable living of East Brent, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, and in the same year was made Archdeacon of Taunton.
For many years Archdeacon Denison represented the extreme High Tory party not only in politics but in the Church, regarding all progressive movements in education or theology as abomination, and vehemently repudiating the higher criticism from the days of Essays and Reviews
Essays and Reviews
Essays and Reviews, published in March 1860, is a broad-church volume of seven essays on Christianity. The topics covered the biblical research of the German critics, the evidence for Christianity, religious thought in England, and the cosmology of Genesis....
(1860) to those of Lux Mundi
Lux mundi
Lux Mundi: A series of Studies in the Religion of the Incarnation is a collection of 12 essays from liberal Anglo-Catholic theologians and edited by the future Bishop of Oxford, Charles Gore, in 1889....
(1890). In 1853 he resigned his position as examining chaplain to the bishop of Bath and Wells
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
owing to his pronounced eucharistic views. A suit on the complaint of a neighboring clergyman ensued and after various complications Denison was condemned by the archbishop's court at Bath (1856); but on appeal the Court of Arches and the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
quashed this judgment on a technical plea.
The result was to make Denison a keen champion of the ritualistic school. He edited The Church and State Review (1862–1865). Secular state education and the conscience clause
Conscience clause
The conscience clause was an important term in education in England throughout much of 19th century. In this context, it referred to permitting parents of schoolchildren to withdraw them from Church of England worship services or other school activities that violated the parents' religious...
were anathema to him. Until the end of his life he remained a protagonist in theological controversy and a keen fighter against latitudinarianism and liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
; but the sharpest religious or political differences never broke his personal friendships and his Christian charity. Among other things for which he will be remembered was his origination of the harvest festival
Harvest festival
A Harvest Festival is an annual celebration which occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world...
.