William Rollinson Whittingham
Encyclopedia
William Rollinson Whittingham (December 2, 1805–October 17, 1879) was the fourth Episcopal
Bishop of Maryland
.
, the son of Richard Whittingham and Mary Ann Rollinson Whittingham. He was educated at home, and later attended the General Theological Seminary
, graduating in 1825. He received the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology
from Columbia University
in 1827. Whittingham was ordained deacon
in 1827 and assigned to missionary work in northern New Jersey
. While there, he married Hannah Harrison. Whittingham was ordained priest on December 17, 1829, and became the rector of St. Mark's in Orange
, New Jersey. In 1831, he became the rector of St. Luke's, New York City, and remained there until 1836, when he accepted a professorship at the General Theological Seminary.
, Richard Channing Moore
, and Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
. As bishop, he founded several charitable and educational institutions, including the College of St. James
in Hagerstown
, an infirmary in Baltimore, an order of deaconess
es, and the Sisterhood of St. John in Washington. At the beginning of the American Civil War
in 1861, Whittingham advocated for the Union cause, which temporarily estranged him from the sympathies of many of his congregants, but his attitude then enabled him to labor more successfully for the unity of the church when the war ended.
In 1869 the Diocese of Easton
was set off from Maryland, and in 1870 Reverend William Pinkney was appointed to assist Bishop Whittingham with his labors. In 1872 he represented the American church at the Lambeth conference, and subsequently he attended the meeting of Old Catholics at Bonn
in a similar capacity. He wrote and edited several books, including editing the "Family Visitor" and "Children's Magazine," monthly publications, and "The Churchman," issued weekly. He was the editor of "The Parish Library of Standard Works," with an introduction and notes (13 vols., 1828 el seq.); Jahn's "Introduction to the Old Testament," with Dr. Samuel H. Turner (1827); William Palmer's "Treatise on the Church of Christ" (2 vols., 1841); the "Commonitorium" of Vincent of Larius, being a new translation with notes, etc." (1847); and "Ratramm on the Lord's Supper," with a revised translation (1848). He also contributed, with three other clergymen, to "Essays and Dissertations in Biblical Literature."
Bishop Whittingham was a high church
man, although he modified his opinions later in life. His views engaged him on several occasions in controversies with his clergy on points of church government, including his presentation in 1876 for not bringing to trial the rector of Mount Calvary for reading prayers for the dead, and the earlier contest with Reverend Dr. Joseph Trapnell, of St. Andrew's, concerning the prior right of the bishop to celebrate communion at confirmations. During the Civil War, he rebuked his clergy for omitting from the service the prayer for the President. For many years before his death, Whittingham was an invalid. His last official act was performed on November 7, 1878. At the time of his consecration he was the youngest of the American bishops: at his death he was the second-oldest, having been in office thirty-nine years. He died in Orange, New Jersey, October 17, 1879.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Bishop of Maryland
Episcopal Diocese of Maryland
The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland forms part of Province 3 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is made up of the northern and central Maryland counties of Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington...
.
Early life and career
Whittingham was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of Richard Whittingham and Mary Ann Rollinson Whittingham. He was educated at home, and later attended the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, graduating in 1825. He received the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1827. Whittingham was ordained deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1827 and assigned to missionary work in northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. While there, he married Hannah Harrison. Whittingham was ordained priest on December 17, 1829, and became the rector of St. Mark's in Orange
Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a city and township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 30,134...
, New Jersey. In 1831, he became the rector of St. Luke's, New York City, and remained there until 1836, when he accepted a professorship at the General Theological Seminary.
Career as bishop
In 1840, Whittingham was elected bishop of Maryland, and was consecrated on September 17 of that year in St. Paul's, Baltimore. He was the 36th bishop of the ECUSA, and was consecrated by bishops Alexander Viets GriswoldAlexander Viets Griswold
Alexander Viets Griswold was the Episcopal Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, which included all of New England with the exception of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut....
, Richard Channing Moore
Richard Channing Moore
The Right Reverend Richard Channing Moore was the second bishop of the Diocese of Virginia .-Life and career:...
, and Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York from 1830–1861.- Early years :...
. As bishop, he founded several charitable and educational institutions, including the College of St. James
St. James School, Maryland
Saint James School is an independent, secondary, boarding and day school. Founded in 1842 as the College of Saint James, The school is a coeducational college preparatory school.-Mission statement:...
in Hagerstown
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
, an infirmary in Baltimore, an order of deaconess
Deaconess
Deaconess is a non-clerical order in some Christian denominations which sees to the care of women in the community. That word comes from a Greek word diakonos as well as deacon, which means a servant or helper and occurs frequently in the Christian New Testament of the Bible. Deaconesses trace...
es, and the Sisterhood of St. John in Washington. At the beginning of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
in 1861, Whittingham advocated for the Union cause, which temporarily estranged him from the sympathies of many of his congregants, but his attitude then enabled him to labor more successfully for the unity of the church when the war ended.
In 1869 the Diocese of Easton
Episcopal Diocese of Easton
Episcopal Diocese of Easton is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America that comprises the nine counties that make up the Eastern Shore of Maryland...
was set off from Maryland, and in 1870 Reverend William Pinkney was appointed to assist Bishop Whittingham with his labors. In 1872 he represented the American church at the Lambeth conference, and subsequently he attended the meeting of Old Catholics at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
in a similar capacity. He wrote and edited several books, including editing the "Family Visitor" and "Children's Magazine," monthly publications, and "The Churchman," issued weekly. He was the editor of "The Parish Library of Standard Works," with an introduction and notes (13 vols., 1828 el seq.); Jahn's "Introduction to the Old Testament," with Dr. Samuel H. Turner (1827); William Palmer's "Treatise on the Church of Christ" (2 vols., 1841); the "Commonitorium" of Vincent of Larius, being a new translation with notes, etc." (1847); and "Ratramm on the Lord's Supper," with a revised translation (1848). He also contributed, with three other clergymen, to "Essays and Dissertations in Biblical Literature."
Bishop Whittingham was a high church
High church
The 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...
man, although he modified his opinions later in life. His views engaged him on several occasions in controversies with his clergy on points of church government, including his presentation in 1876 for not bringing to trial the rector of Mount Calvary for reading prayers for the dead, and the earlier contest with Reverend Dr. Joseph Trapnell, of St. Andrew's, concerning the prior right of the bishop to celebrate communion at confirmations. During the Civil War, he rebuked his clergy for omitting from the service the prayer for the President. For many years before his death, Whittingham was an invalid. His last official act was performed on November 7, 1878. At the time of his consecration he was the youngest of the American bishops: at his death he was the second-oldest, having been in office thirty-nine years. He died in Orange, New Jersey, October 17, 1879.
External links
- Works by and about Whittingham from Project CanterburyProject CanterburyProject Canterbury is an online archive of material related to the history of Anglicanism. It was founded by Richard Mammana, Jr. in 1999, and is hosted by the non-profit Society of Archbishop Justus...