Thomas Newton (1 January 1704 – 14 February 1782) was an English cleric, biblical scholar and author. He served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1761 to 1782.
Thomas Newton | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Bristol | |
 | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bristol |
| In office | 21 December 1761 (election confirmed)–1782 (died) |
| Predecessor | Philip Yonge |
| Successor | Lewis Bagot |
| Other post(s) | Canon Precentor of York Minster (Driffield prebend, 16 June 1759–11 February 1761) Canon of Westminster (22 March 1757–1761)[1] Canon of St Paul's (Portpool prebend, 20 November 1761–1782) Dean of St Paul's (8 October 1768–1782) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1704 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England |
| Died | 14 February 1782 (aged 78) City of London |
| Buried | St Paul's Cathedral |
| Nationality | British (prev. English) |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Residence | The Old Deanery, London (at death) |
| Parents | John Newton & Isabel née Rhodes |
| Spouse | 1. Jane Trebeck (m. 18 August 1747; she died 1754) 2. Elizabeth née Vaughan (m. 5 September 1761; widowed 1782) |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
Ordination history of Thomas Newton | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source(s):[2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Biography
editNewton was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and was subsequently elected a fellow of Trinity.[4] He was ordained in the Church of England and continued scholarly pursuits. His more remembered works include his annotated edition of Paradise Lost, including a biography of John Milton, published in 1749. In 1754 he published a large scholarly analysis of the prophecies of the Bible, titled Dissertations on the Prophecies. In his 1761 edition of Milton's poetry, he gave the title On His Blindness to Sonnet XIX, When I Consider How My Light is Spent.
Newton was appointed the Bishop of Bristol in 1761 and in 1768 became the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London. He has been considered a Christian universalist.[5][6]
One of Newton's famous quotes concerns the Jewish people:
The preservation of the Jews is really one of the most signal and illustrious acts of divine Providence... and what but a supernatural power could have preserved them in such a manner as none other nation upon earth hath been preserved. Nor is the providence of God less remarkable in the destruction of their enemies, than in their preservation... We see that the great empires, which in their turn subdued and oppressed the people of God, are all come to ruin... And if such hath been the fatal end of the enemies and oppressors of the Jews, let it serve as a warning to all those, who at any time or upon any occasion are for raising a clamor and persecution against them.[1]
References
edit- ^ Horn, Joyce M. (1992), Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541–1857, vol. 7, pp. 83–97
- ^ "Newton, Thomas (CCEd Ordination ID 73381)". The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Newton, Thomas (CCEd Ordination ID 73414)". The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
- ^ "Newton, Thomas (NWTN723T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ^ Richard Bauckham. "Universalism: a historical survey". Themelios 4.2 (September 1978): 47-54.
- ^ "Plain Guide to Universalism: Who Are Universalists?". Accessed Dec. 5, 2007.
- ^ "Memorials of St Paul's Cathedral" Sinclair, W. p. 464: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909.
Sources
edit- Nigel Aston, ‘Newton, Thomas (1704–1782)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 26 Aug 2008
- "Newton, Thomas (1729–1782) (CCEd Person ID 109210)". The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835. Retrieved 31 May 2015.