James Norman Dalrymple Anderson
Encyclopedia
Sir Norman Dalrymple Anderson OBE, QC
(1908–1994) was an English missionary
and academic Arabist
.
, England, and went to Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he obtained a B.A. in 1930 and a LL.B. in 1931 with a triple first. He went to Egypt in 1932 where he spent 8 years as a missionary, learning Arabic at the American University in Cairo
.
In 1939, he served with the British Army and in 1940 he was made Arab Liaison Officer for the Libyan Arab Force. After the war he became Political Officer for Sanusi affairs and the Secretary for Arab Affairs in the General Head Quarters (G.H.Q) Middle East. He was awarded the MBE and later, in 1943, the OBE. in 1945, was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1974 and was knighted in 1975.
He lectured on Islamic Law for 3 years at Cambridge
and then from 1947 to 1971 he taught at SOAS, being appointed Professor of Oriental Laws in the University of London
in 1954. He was the head of the Department of Law, School of Oriental and African Studies
, London
1953-71; Professor of Oriental Laws, University of London
1954-75; Director of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
in the University of London 1959-76.
, in 1969.
broke new ground in Britain through its focus on modern legal codes in the Middle East and Africa. Anderson highlighted the hybrid mixture of Western and Islamic concepts which such codes adopted and which he believed would characterize future legal reforms. Throughout his writings he expressed concerns about the morality and practicality of certain rules and stipulations in the vast corpus of classical Islamic law. Because of his expertise in Islamic law, Anderson became a sought-after witness in legal cases, adviser to the Colonial Office and Foreign Office, and consultant to non-Western governments.
and the Middle East General Mission. Anderson was a prominent evangelical
layman in the Church of England
serving as the first chairman of the House of Laity of the General Synod
from 1970-1979. In this role he helped to secure a compromise agreement with the Prime Minister that guaranteed the church a greater degree of independence from the state in the choice of its bishops.
Bibliography
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(1908–1994) was an English missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and academic Arabist
Arabist
This is an article about the western scholars known as Arabists, not the political movement Pan-Arabism.An Arabist is someone normally from outside the Arab World who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and Arab culture, and often Arabic literature.-Origins:Arabists began in medieval...
.
Life
He was born on 29 September 1908. He was educated at St Lawrence College, RamsgateRamsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
, England, and went to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he obtained a B.A. in 1930 and a LL.B. in 1931 with a triple first. He went to Egypt in 1932 where he spent 8 years as a missionary, learning Arabic at the American University in Cairo
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo is an independent, non-profit, apolitical, secular institution of higher learning located in Cairo, Egypt...
.
In 1939, he served with the British Army and in 1940 he was made Arab Liaison Officer for the Libyan Arab Force. After the war he became Political Officer for Sanusi affairs and the Secretary for Arab Affairs in the General Head Quarters (G.H.Q) Middle East. He was awarded the MBE and later, in 1943, the OBE. in 1945, was appointed a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1974 and was knighted in 1975.
He lectured on Islamic Law for 3 years at Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and then from 1947 to 1971 he taught at SOAS, being appointed Professor of Oriental Laws in the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1954. He was the head of the Department of Law, School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
1953-71; Professor of Oriental Laws, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
1954-75; Director of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
School of Advanced Study
The School of Advanced Study, a postgraduate institution of the University of London, is the UK's national centre for the promotion and facilitation of research in the humanities and social sciences...
in the University of London 1959-76.
Family
His son Hugh R. D. Anderson was a President of the Cambridge Union Society while he was at Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, in 1969.
Islamic law
Anderson's research on Islamic lawSharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
broke new ground in Britain through its focus on modern legal codes in the Middle East and Africa. Anderson highlighted the hybrid mixture of Western and Islamic concepts which such codes adopted and which he believed would characterize future legal reforms. Throughout his writings he expressed concerns about the morality and practicality of certain rules and stipulations in the vast corpus of classical Islamic law. Because of his expertise in Islamic law, Anderson became a sought-after witness in legal cases, adviser to the Colonial Office and Foreign Office, and consultant to non-Western governments.
Involvement in evangelicalism
Anderson played a signal role in the transformation of conservative evangelicalism in England after the Second World War, encouraging the re-engagement of evangelicals with culture, society, politics, and ecumenism. He warned against cultural imperialism and argued for the compatibility of proclamation and dialogue. His interest in missionary work never abated and he served as president or chairman of a number of societies including the Bible Churchmen's Missionary SocietyCrosslinks
Crosslinks is an evangelical Anglican missionary society, drawing its support mainly from parishes in the Church of England and Church of Ireland. It was known as the Bible Churchmen's Missionary Society until 1992-The Society's foundation:...
and the Middle East General Mission. Anderson was a prominent evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
layman in the Church of England
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...
serving as the first chairman of the House of Laity of the General Synod
General Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
from 1970-1979. In this role he helped to secure a compromise agreement with the Prime Minister that guaranteed the church a greater degree of independence from the state in the choice of its bishops.
Writings
Anderson wrote and edited a number of books on Christian theology, comparative law and comparative religion, including:- The Evidence for the Resurrection, (1950)
- The World's Religions, (1950, 1975)
- Islamic Law in Africa, (1954)
- Islamic Law in the Modern World, (1959)
- Changing Law in Developing Countries, (1963)
- Family Law in Asia and Africa, (1968)
- Into the World: The Need and Limits of Christian Involvement, (1968)
- Christianity: the Witness of History - A Lawyer's Approach, (1969)
- Christianity and Comparative Religion, (1970)
- Morality, Law and Grace, (1972)
- Law Reform in the Muslim World, (1976)
- Liberty, Law and Justice, (1978)
- The Mystery of the Incarnation, (1978)
- God's Law and God's Love: An Essay in Comparative Religion, (1980)
- Christianity and World Religions: The Challenge of Pluralism, (1984)
- An Adopted Son: The Story of My Life, (1985)
- Freedom Under Law, (1988)
- Islam in the Modern World: a Christian Perspective, (1990)
Bibliography
- Thompson, Todd M. “Anderson, Sir (James) Norman Dalrymple (1908–1994).” In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Online ed., edited by Lawrence Goldman. Oxford: OUP, October 2008. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/54706 (accessed April 17, 2009).
See also
- Islamic studiesIslamic studiesIn a Muslim context, Islamic studies can be an umbrella term for all virtually all of academia, both originally researched and as defined by the Islamization of knowledge...
- Islamic jurisprudence
- Death and Resurrection of JesusDeath and Resurrection of JesusThe Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
- Comparative religionComparative religionComparative religion is a field of religious studies that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes, myths, rituals and concepts among the world's religions...