Henry Wace (10 December 1836 – 9 January 1924) was an English Anglican priest and ecclesiastical historian who served as Principal of King's College, London, from 1883 to 1897 and as Dean of Canterbury from 1903 to 1924. He is described in the Dictionary of National Biography as "an effective administrator, a Protestant churchman of deep scholarship, and a stout champion of the Reformation settlement".[1]

Henry Wace
Wace c. 1919
Born(1836-12-10)10 December 1836
London, England
Died9 January 1924(1924-01-09) (aged 87)
Title
Ecclesiastical career
ReligionChristianity (Anglican)
ChurchChurch of England
Ordained1861
Academic background
Alma materBrasenose College, Oxford
Academic work
DisciplineHistory
Sub-disciplineEcclesiastical history
School or traditionEvangelical Anglicanism
InstitutionsKing's College, London

Early life and education

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Wace was born in London on 10 December 1836 and was educated at Marlborough College, Rugby School, King's College, London, and Brasenose College, Oxford (BA literae humaniores and mathematics, Honorary Fellow 1911).

Career

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He took Holy Orders and served curacies at St Luke's, Berwick Street (1861–63), St James's, Piccadilly (1863–69), and Grosvenor Chapel (1870–72). He moved to Lincoln's Inn, where he served first as Chaplain (1872–80) and later as Preacher (1880–96). He was additionally Chaplain of the Inns of Court Rifle Volunteers (1880–1908) and the Warburton Lecturer for 1896.

In 1875, he became Professor of Ecclesiastical History at King's College, London, of which he served as Principal (1883–97). He was Rector of St Michael's, Cornhill 1896–1903 and Dean of Canterbury from 1903 until his death in 1924. He is buried in the courtyard of the great cloister of the cathedral.

Writings

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He wrote, contributed to, and edited, many publications in Christian and ecclesiastical history. His best-known work, of widest application, is the Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies, written in collaboration with William Smith.

He worked with Philip Schaff on the second series of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers.[2][3]

From 1902 to 1905 he was editor of The Churchman, an evangelical Anglican academic journal.[4]

Other accomplishments

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He delivered the Boyle Lectures in 1874 and 1875 and the Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford in 1879. He was Select Preacher at Oxford in 1880–81 and 1907 and at Cambridge in 1876, 1891, 1903, and 1910.

He was appointed Prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral in 1881 and received the honorary freedom of the City of Canterbury in 1921. In 1922, he played an important role in the foundation of the Bible Churchmen's Missionary Society and was its Vice-President from 1923 until his death on 9 January 1924, following a road traffic accident.[1]

Publications

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References

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  1. ^ a b Gregory, Stephen; Harrison, B. (2004). "Wace, Henry (1836–1924)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36669. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Christian Classics Ethereal Library website, NPNF1-09. St. Chrysostom: On the Priesthood; Ascetic Treatises; Select Homilies and Letters; Homilies on the Statutes by Philip Schaff (review)
  3. ^ Reformed Christian Books website, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Second Series
  4. ^ "The First Century of The Churchman" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
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Church of England titles
Preceded by Dean of Canterbury
1903–1924
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Bampton Lecturer
1879
Succeeded by
Preceded by Principal of King's College, London
1883–1897
Succeeded by
Other offices
Preceded by
Warburton Lecturer
1894–1898[citation needed]
Succeeded by
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