Ian Turnbull Ker (30 August 1942 – 5 November 2022) was an English
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
priest, a former Anglican and a scholar and author. He was generally regarded as the world's authority on
John Henry Newman
John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...
, on whom he published more than 20 books.
Ker taught theology at
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, where he was a senior research fellow at
Blackfriars, Oxford
Blackfriars Priory (formally the Priory of the Holy Spirit) is a Dominican religious community in Oxford, England. It houses two educational institutions: Blackfriars Studium, the centre of theological studies of the English Province of the D ...
, and a member of the Faculty of Theology. He taught both English literature and theology at universities in the UK and USA. Ker was regarded as the leading authority on Saint
John Henry Newman
John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...
, on whom he published the universally acknowledged ''definitive'' biography. He was the author of ''The Catholic Revival in English Literature 1845-1961'', ''Mere Catholicism'', and ''G.K. Chesterton: A Biography''. On this last book, the late
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British-American author and journalist who wrote or edited over 30 books (including five essay collections) on culture, politics, and literature. Born and educated in England, ...
reviewed that "Professor Ker's spirited and double-barreled attempt at a rehabilitation" of Chesterton "is enjoyable in its own right."
Ker died on 5 November 2022, in
Gloucester
Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...
, at the age of 80.
Selected bibliography
A selected bibliography of Ker's books sorted by year of first publication:
* 1990. "John Henry Newman: A biography". Oxford University Press .
* 2003. "The Catholic Revival in English Literature 1845-1961". Notre Dame Press USA. .
* 2007. "Mere Catholicism". Emmaus Road Publishing. .
* 2012. "GK Chesterton: A biography". Oxford University Press. .
* 2010. ''John Henry Newman. Una biografía''. (Spanish edition) Ediciones Palabra.
References
External links
Interview Salt & Light TV, Toronto (Canada)Oxford University Newman SocietyPodcast of lecture - Newman's idea of a university: some misunderstandings
1942 births
2022 deaths
20th-century English Roman Catholic priests
21st-century English Roman Catholic priests
Converts to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism
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