John Allen Fitzgerald Gregg
Encyclopedia
John Allen Fitzgerald Gregg CH
DD
(1873–1961) was a Church of Ireland
clergy
man, from 1915 Bishop of Ossory
, in 1920 translated to become Archbishop of Dublin
, and finally from 1939 until 1959 Archbishop of Armagh
. He was also a theologian
and historian
.
, and at Christ's College, Cambridge
, where he was a classical scholar and won the Hulsean Prize Essay competition for 1896 with The Decian Persecution.
He came from an Anglo-Irish family, which boasted a large number of Church of Ireland
clergy within its ranks. His grandfather, another John Gregg, had sat in the House of Lords
as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
, and his uncle, Robert Samuel Gregg served briefly as Archbishop of Armagh in the 1890s after a long episcopate as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
. J A F Gregg went on to be a notable church historian. He served as assistant curate of Ballymena under Charles d'Arcy
1896–1899, then as Curate at Cork Cathedral (1899–1906), and as Rector of Blackrock, Co. Cork (1906–1911), before being appointed in 1911 Professor of Divinity in Trinity College, Dublin
. In 1915 he became Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
, in 1920 Archbishop of Dublin
. He was elected to Armagh in 1938, but refused the position, and Godfrey Day, Bishop of Ossory, was elected in his place In 1939 he was again elected Archbishop of Armagh
which post he held until his retirement in 1959. He was married twice. First in 1902 to Anna Jennings (d. 1945) by whom he had two sons and two daughters, and secondly, in 1947, to Lindsey McEndoo, younger daughter of the then Dean of Armagh. He was a supporter of the old Unionist order
but encouraged his flock to make their peace with the post-1922 political realities in Ireland.
According to R. B. McDowell –
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
DD
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....
(1873–1961) was a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man, from 1915 Bishop of Ossory
Bishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bishoprics.-History:The diocese of Ossory...
, in 1920 translated to become Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
, and finally from 1939 until 1959 Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
. He was also a theologian
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 historian
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.
Life
Gregg was born at North Cerney, Gloucestershire on the 4th July 1873. He was educated at Bedford SchoolBedford School
Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Modern School or Bedford High School or Old Bedford School in Bedford, TexasBedford School is an HMC independent school for boys located in the town of Bedford, England, United Kingdom...
, and at Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, where he was a classical scholar and won the Hulsean Prize Essay competition for 1896 with The Decian Persecution.
He came from an Anglo-Irish family, which boasted a large number of Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
clergy within its ranks. His grandfather, another John Gregg, had sat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross is the Church of Ireland Ordinary of the united Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in the Province of Dublin....
, and his uncle, Robert Samuel Gregg served briefly as Archbishop of Armagh in the 1890s after a long episcopate as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross is the Church of Ireland Ordinary of the united Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in the Province of Dublin....
. J A F Gregg went on to be a notable church historian. He served as assistant curate of Ballymena under Charles d'Arcy
Charles D'Arcy
Charles Frederick D'Arcy was a Church of Ireland clergyman, from 1903 Bishop of Clogher, in 1907 translated to become Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin and then Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore, briefly Archbishop of Dublin, and finally from 1920 until his death Archbishop of Armagh...
1896–1899, then as Curate at Cork Cathedral (1899–1906), and as Rector of Blackrock, Co. Cork (1906–1911), before being appointed in 1911 Professor of Divinity in 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...
. In 1915 he became Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
The Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin was the Ordinary of the Church of Ireland diocese of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin in the Ecclesiastical Province of Dublin...
, in 1920 Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
. He was elected to Armagh in 1938, but refused the position, and Godfrey Day, Bishop of Ossory, was elected in his place In 1939 he was again elected Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
which post he held until his retirement in 1959. He was married twice. First in 1902 to Anna Jennings (d. 1945) by whom he had two sons and two daughters, and secondly, in 1947, to Lindsey McEndoo, younger daughter of the then Dean of Armagh. He was a supporter of the old Unionist order
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
but encouraged his flock to make their peace with the post-1922 political realities in Ireland.
According to R. B. McDowell –
"...the Church of Ireland was led (or some would say dominated) by John Allen Fitzgerald Gregg, archbishop successively of Dublin and Armagh, who might fairly be described as an instinctive conservative with, however, an awareness of contemporary trends... Gregg's bearing suggested a prince of the churchPrince of the ChurchThe term Prince of the Church is nowadays used nearly exclusively for Catholic Cardinals. However the term is historically more important as a generic term for clergymen whose offices hold the secular rank and privilege of a prince or are considered its equivalent...
or at least a prelate of the establishment... he was a scholar and a man of affairs, his administrative flair being reinforced by dignity, decisiveness, and a sardonic wit... His theological sympathies were high churchHigh churchThe term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
, though he had been brought up an evangelicalEvangelicalismEvangelicalism 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:...
and had an Anglo-IrishAnglo-IrishAnglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
distaste for ceremonial exuberance.
Selected publications
- The Primitive Faith and Roman Catholic Developments: Six Sermons Delivered in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, Lent, 1909
- Anglican orders and the prospects of reunion (1930)
- The Ne Temere Decree: A Lecture (1943)