John James Stewart Perowne
Encyclopedia
John James Stewart Perowne (3 March 1823 - 6 November 1904) was an English bishop. Born in Burdwan, Bengal, Perowne was a member of a notable clerical family, whose origins were Hugenot.
He was educated at Norwich School
, and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
, becoming a fellow in 1849. After holding a chair in King's College London
, he became, in 1862, the fourth vice-principal of St Davids College, Lampeter
, a college with which he was already familiar, for he had been external examiner between 1851 and 1852. The ageing Principal of the college took a backseat, and Perowne effectively 'took the reins' until his departure from Lampeter in 1872.
In 1868 he was elected Hulsean lecturer
, taking as his subject Immortality
or rather conditional immortality
; stating "The immortality of the soul is a phantom which eludes your eager grasp.".
He was elected canon of Llandaff
in 1869, dean of Peterborough 1878, and in 1891 succeeded Henry Philpott
as bishop of Worcester
. Whilst at Lampeter, Perowne had gained a great respect for the theology of his predecessor in the role of Vice-Principal, Rowland Williams
, and when he became a bishop, he went to great lengths to avoid taking action against modernists in the church. Indeed, a work by one of his incumbents, which denied the Trinity
, the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, the Atonement, and the concepts of the Resurrection of Christ and the Ascension was described by Perowne as 'an honest attempt to deal with great spiritual problems' .
Perowne was a respected Hebrew
scholar of the traditional type and sat on the Old Testament Revision Committee. He is best remembered as the general editor of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. His chief works were a Commentary on the Book of Psalms (2 vols., 1864–1868) and a life of Bishop Thirlwall
(1877–1878). He resigned his see in 1901.
, became the first Bishop of Bradford
, and subsequently Bishop of Worcester
. One of his grandsons, Stewart (1901–1987), married Freya Stark
and was the more famous as Head of Education in British Palestine, archaeologist, explorer, and writer. Stewart's brother Leslie was sometime head of music at the BBC and was responsible for bringing Albert Ketèlbey
out of retirement to conduct a huge BBC Ketèlbey Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
prior to World War II.
He was educated at Norwich School
Norwich School (educational institution)
Norwich School is an independent school located in Norwich, United Kingdom. It is one of the oldest schools in the world, with a traceable history to 1096, and is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.It is a fee-paying, co-educational day school and has one of the best...
, and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, becoming a fellow in 1849. After holding a chair in King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, he became, in 1862, the fourth vice-principal of St Davids College, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
, a college with which he was already familiar, for he had been external examiner between 1851 and 1852. The ageing Principal of the college took a backseat, and Perowne effectively 'took the reins' until his departure from Lampeter in 1872.
In 1868 he was elected Hulsean lecturer
Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
The Norris-Hulse Professorship of Divinity is one of the senior professorships in divinity at the University of Cambridge.The Norrisian chair was founded in 1777 by a bequest from John Norris...
, taking as his subject Immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
or rather conditional immortality
Conditional immortality
In Christian theology, conditionalism or conditional immortality is a concept of special salvation in which the gift of immortality is attached to belief in Jesus Christ. This doctrine is based in part upon another theological argument, that if the human soul is naturally mortal, immortality is...
; stating "The immortality of the soul is a phantom which eludes your eager grasp.".
He was elected canon of Llandaff
Llandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
in 1869, dean of Peterborough 1878, and in 1891 succeeded Henry Philpott
Henry Philpott
Henry Philpott was an English cricketer who played for Sussex. He was born and died in Brighton.Philpott made a single first-class appearance, during the 1855 season, against Surrey. From the lower order, Philpott scored 1 not out in the first innings in which he batted, and 10 runs in the...
as bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
. Whilst at Lampeter, Perowne had gained a great respect for the theology of his predecessor in the role of Vice-Principal, Rowland Williams
Rowland Williams
Rowland Williams was vice-principal and Professor of Hebrew at St David’s College, Lampeter from 1849 to 1862 and was one of the most influential theologians of the nineteenth century. He supported biblical criticism and pioneered comparative Religious Studies in Britain. He was also a priest in...
, and when he became a bishop, he went to great lengths to avoid taking action against modernists in the church. Indeed, a work by one of his incumbents, which denied the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, the Virgin Birth, the Divinity of Christ, the Atonement, and the concepts of the Resurrection of Christ and the Ascension was described by Perowne as 'an honest attempt to deal with great spiritual problems' .
Perowne was a respected Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
scholar of the traditional type and sat on the Old Testament Revision Committee. He is best remembered as the general editor of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. His chief works were a Commentary on the Book of Psalms (2 vols., 1864–1868) and a life of Bishop Thirlwall
Connop Thirlwall
Connop Thirlwall was an English bishop and historian.-Early life:Thirlwall was born at Stepney, London, of a Northumbrian family. He was a prodigy, learning Latin at three, Greek at four, and writing sermons at seven.He went to Charterhouse School, where George Grote and Julius Hare were among...
(1877–1878). He resigned his see in 1901.
Descendants
His son Arthur William Thomson PerowneArthur William Thomson Perowne
The Right Reverend Arthur William Thomson Perowne was an eminent Anglican Bishop in the first half of the 20th century....
, became the first Bishop of Bradford
Bishop of Bradford
The Bishop of Bradford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Bradford, in the Province of YorkThe diocese covers the extreme west of Yorkshire, and has its see in the city of Bradford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter.The Bishop's residence is...
, and subsequently Bishop of Worcester
Bishop of Worcester
The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. He is the head of the Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury...
. One of his grandsons, Stewart (1901–1987), married Freya Stark
Freya Stark
Dame Freya Madeline Stark, Mrs. Perowne, DBE was a British explorer and travel writer. She wrote more than two dozen books on her travels, which were mainly in Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan....
and was the more famous as Head of Education in British Palestine, archaeologist, explorer, and writer. Stewart's brother Leslie was sometime head of music at the BBC and was responsible for bringing Albert Ketèlbey
Albert Ketèlbey
Albert William Ketèlbey , born Ketelbey, was an English composer, conductor and pianist.-Biography:...
out of retirement to conduct a huge BBC Ketèlbey Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
prior to World War II.