Henry Dodwell
Encyclopedia
Henry Dodwell was an Anglo-Irish scholar, theologian
and controversial writer.
. His father, William Dodwell, lost his property in Connacht
during the Irish rebellion
and settled at York
in 1648. Henry received his preliminary education at the free school
there.
In 1654 he was sent by his uncle to Trinity College, Dublin
, where he subsequently became a scholar and fellow, receiving the Bachelor of Arts (1662) and Master of Arts (1663). Having conscientious objections to taking orders, he relinquished his fellowship in 1666, but in 1688 he was elected Camden professor of history
at Oxford
. In 1691 he was deprived of his professorship for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to William
and Mary
.
Dodwell retired to Shottesbrooke
in Berkshire
to be near his friend, Francis Cherry
. Never countenancing the continuation of the nonjuring schism
, Dodwell returned to the Church of England in 1710, following the death of William Lloyd, the deprived bishop of Norwich
and Thomas Ken
's decision to relinquish his claim to the see of Bath and Wells.
He died at Shottesbrooke.
, he devoted himself to the study of chronology and ecclesiastical polity, providing a defence of the deprived nonjuring bishops. Edward Gibbon
speaks of his learning as "immense," and says that his "skill in employing facts is equal to his learning," although he severely criticizes his method and style. Dodwell's works on ecclesiastical polity are more numerous than those on chronology.
In his ecclesiastical writings he was regarded as one of the greatest champions of the non-juror
s; but the doctrine which he afterwards promulgated, that the soul is naturally mortal, and that immortality could be enjoyed only by those who had received baptism
from the hands of one set of regularly ordained clergy, and was therefore a privilege from which dissenters were hopelessly excluded, did not strengthen his reputation.
His chief works on classical chronology are:
on the subject of miracles.
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and controversial writer.
Life
He was born in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. His father, William Dodwell, lost his property in Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
during the Irish rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
and settled at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in 1648. Henry received his preliminary education at the free school
St Peter's School, York
St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school located in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse...
there.
In 1654 he was sent by his uncle to Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he subsequently became a scholar and fellow, receiving the Bachelor of Arts (1662) and Master of Arts (1663). Having conscientious objections to taking orders, he relinquished his fellowship in 1666, but in 1688 he was elected Camden professor of history
Camden Professor of Ancient History
The Camden Professorship of Ancient History at the University of Oxford was established in 1622 by William Camden, Clarenceux King of Arms, and endowed with the income of the manor of Bexley. The Chair has been attached to Brasenose College since 1877...
at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. In 1691 he was deprived of his professorship for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to William
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
.
Dodwell retired to Shottesbrooke
Shottesbrooke
Shottesbrooke is a hamlet and civil parish administered by the unitary authority of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire. The parish has an area of and had a population of 154 at the 2001 census.-Geography:...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
to be near his friend, Francis Cherry
Francis Cherry (non-juror)
Francis Cherry was an English layman and non-juror, known as a philanthropist and benefactor.-Life:The son of William and Anne Cherry of Shottesbrooke in Berkshire, he was born in Maidenhead in 1665, and was a gentleman commoner of St Edmund Hall, Oxford. Soon after age 20 he married Eliza,...
. Never countenancing the continuation of the nonjuring schism
Nonjuring schism
The nonjuring schism was a split in the Church of England in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, over whether William of Orange and his wife Mary could legally be recognised as King and Queen of England....
, Dodwell returned to the Church of England in 1710, following the death of William Lloyd, the deprived bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
and Thomas Ken
Thomas Ken
Thomas Ken was an English cleric who was considered the most eminent of the English non-juring bishops, and one of the fathers of modern English hymnology.-Early life:...
's decision to relinquish his claim to the see of Bath and Wells.
He died at Shottesbrooke.
Works
Living on the produce of a small estate in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, he devoted himself to the study of chronology and ecclesiastical polity, providing a defence of the deprived nonjuring bishops. Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
speaks of his learning as "immense," and says that his "skill in employing facts is equal to his learning," although he severely criticizes his method and style. Dodwell's works on ecclesiastical polity are more numerous than those on chronology.
In his ecclesiastical writings he was regarded as one of the greatest champions of the non-juror
Non-juror
A non-juror is a person who refuses to swear a particular oath.* In British history, non-jurors refused to swear allegiance to William and Mary; see Nonjuring schism...
s; but the doctrine which he afterwards promulgated, that the soul is naturally mortal, and that immortality could be enjoyed only by those who had received baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
from the hands of one set of regularly ordained clergy, and was therefore a privilege from which dissenters were hopelessly excluded, did not strengthen his reputation.
His chief works on classical chronology are:
- A Discourse concerning Sanchoniathon's Phoenician History (1681)
- Annales Thucydidei et Xenophontei (1702)
- Chronologia Graeco-Romana pro hyfrothesibus Dion. Halicarnassei (1692)
- Annales Velleiani, Quintilianei, Statiani (1698)
- a larger treatise entitled De veleri bus Graecorum Romanorumque Cyclis (1701).
Family
His eldest son Henry (d. 1784) was the author of a pamphlet entitled Christianity not founded on Argument, to which a reply was published by his brother William (1709–1785), who was concurrently engaged in a controversy with Dr Conyers MiddletonConyers Middleton
Conyers Middleton was an English clergyman.Middleton was born at Richmond in Yorkshire, and was educated at school in York and at Trinity College, Cambridge. He graduated from the University of Cambridge, took holy orders, and in 1706 obtained a fellowship, which he resigned upon entering into an...
on the subject of miracles.