John Punnett Peters (December 16, 1852 – November 10, 1921) was an American

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

clergyman and Orientalist.

Biography

John Punnett Peters was born in New York City on December 16, 1852. He graduated from Hopkins School in 1868 and then from Yale in 1873. He was part of the school's first football team, and continued to play while he pursued graduate studies at Yale Divinity School. He studied at Berlin and at Leipzig. He was professor of

Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...

languages and literature at the Protestant Episcopal Divinity School in Philadelphia (1884–91) and professor of Hebrew at the University of Pennsylvania (1885–93). From 1888 to 1895, he conducted excavations at

Nippur Nippur (Sumerian language, Sumerian: ''Nibru'', often logogram, logographically recorded as , EN.LÍLKI, "Enlil City;"The Cambridge Ancient History: Prolegomena & Prehistory': Vol. 1, Part 1. Accessed 15 Dec 2010. Akkadian language, Akkadian: '' ...

with John Henry Haynes and

Hermann Volrath Hilprecht Hermann Volrath Hilprecht (July 28, 1859 – March 19, 1925) was a German- American Assyriologist and archaeologist. Biography Hilprecht was born in 1859 at Hohenerxleben (now a part of Staßfurt), Germany. He graduated from Herzogliches Gymnasium ...

. His public criticisms of statements made by Hilprecht in speeches and published works regarding the providence of a number of artifacts presented as discoveries made in Nippur sparked what became known as the "Peters-Hilbrecht Controversy." He became rector of St. Michael's Episcopal Church (Manhattan) in 1893 and served in that role until he retired in 1919. From 1904 to 1910, John Punnett Peters was also canon residentiary of the

Cathedral of St. John the Divine The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhood ...

. He was active in promoting an intellectual approach to religion, social service, and positive relations between labor and management. Peters was an outspoken opponent of municipal corruption and was active in the Excise Reform Association's West Side branch in Manhattan. As chairman of the Committee of Fourteen in New York City from the time of its founding in 1905 to 1910, and again from 1912 to 1916, Peters worked to close down or otherwise manage

Raines law The New York State liquor tax law of 1896, also known as the Raines law, was authored by the New York State Senator John Raines and adopted in the New York State Legislature on March 23, 1896. It took effect on April 1, 1896, was amended in 1917 a ...

hotels while advocating numerous reforms to law enforcement institutions and practices. Combined with his father and grandfather, the Peters served as rectors of St. Michael's for 99 years. Architect

Frazier Forman Peters Frazier Forman Peters (July 20, 1895 - February 1963) was an American builder and architect specializing in stone houses. He also wrote books on the subject. Career Peters was born in New York City, the son of the Revd. John Punnett Peters, a not ...

was his son. Another son, also named

John Punnett Peters John Punnett Peters (December 16, 1852 – November 10, 1921) was an American Episcopal clergyman and Orientalist. Biography John Punnett Peters was born in New York City on December 16, 1852. He graduated from Hopkins School in 1868 and then ...

(December 4, 1887 – December 29, 1955), initially described the cerebral salt-wasting syndrome. John Punnett Peters died from a heart attack in New York on November 10, 1921.

Works

* ''Nippur, or Explorations and Adventures on the Euphrates'' (two volumes, 1897) * ''The Old Testament and the New Scholarship'' (1901) * ''Labor and Capital'' (1902) * ''Early Hebrew Story: Its Historical Background'' (1904) * With Hermann Thiersch, ''Painted tombs in the necropolis of Marissa (Marêshah)'' (1905) * ''Annals of St. Michael's, New York, for One Hundred Years, 1807-1907'' (1907) * ''Modern Christianity'' (1909) * ''Jesus Christ and the Old Commandments'' (1913) * ''The Religion of the Hebrews'' (1914) * ''The Psalms as Liturgies'' (1921) * ''Bible and Spade'' (1922)

References

University of Pennsylvania faculty American religious writers Religious leaders from New York City 1852 births 1921 deaths American Episcopalians Hopkins School alumni Yale University alumni Contributors to the Encyclopædia Britannica Christian biblical scholars Biblical archaeologists {{US-reli-bio-stub