Quintin Kennedy (1520–1564) was a Scottish abbot from a noble background, one of the last Catholic opponents of the

Scottish Reformation The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke with the Pope, Papacy and developed a predominantly Calvinist national Church of Scotland, Kirk (church), which was strongly Presbyterianism, Presbyterian in ...

Life

He was son of

Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassilis Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassillis (died between 24 and 30 August 1527) was a Scottish nobleman, the son of David Kennedy, 1st Earl of Cassilis and Agnes, daughter of William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick. In August 1524 Margaret Tudor sent ...

, and his wife Isabel, daughter of

Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll Gillespie Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll ( – 9 September 1513) was a Scottish nobleman and politician who was killed at the Battle of Flodden. Biography Archibald was the eldest son of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll and Isabel Ste ...

. He was born in 1520, and received his early education at St. Salvator's College, St. Andrews. He then went to the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

, where he studied theology and civil and canon law. Returning to Scotland, Kennedy became vicar of

Girvan Girvan ( gd, Inbhir Gharbhain, "mouth of the River Girvan") is a burgh and harbour town in Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Girvan is situated on the east coast of the Firth of Clyde, with a population of about 6,450. It lies south of Ayr, ...

, and in 1547 succeeded a relative as abbot of

Crossraguel Abbey The Abbey of Saint Mary of Crossraguel is a ruin of a former abbey near the town of Maybole, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Although it is a ruin, visitors can still see the original monks’ church, their cloister and their dovecot (pigeon tower ...

, in the parish of Kirkoswald, a monastery founded by Duncan, 1st Earl of Carrick, from whom the Kennedys claimed descent. In the spring of 1559 the reformer

John Willock John Willock (or Willocks or Willox) (c. 15154 December 1585) was a Scottish reformer. He appears to have been a friar of the Franciscan House at Ayr. Having joined the party of reform before 1541, he fled for his life to England. There he bec ...

, preached in Ayr against the

Catholic mass The Mass is the central liturgical service of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, in which bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. As defined by the Church at the Council of Trent, in the Mass, "the same Christ ...

, and Kennedy challenged him to a public discussion. Kennedy, however, was late to the disputation, or was deterred by Willock's following.

John Knox John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgat ...

came to Ayrshire in 1562 to preach the reformed doctrines, and Kennedy challenged him also to a public discussion. They met by arrangement in the house of the provost of the collegiate church of

Maybole Maybole is a town and former burgh of barony and police burgh in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It had an estimated population of in . It is situated south of Ayr and southwest of Glasgow by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The town is bypass ...

, a short distance from Crossraguel Abbey, with forty witnesses on each side. The disputation lasted for three days, but was inconclusive. Part of Crossraguel Abbey was destroyed in 1561 by order of the Scottish privy council. The Catholic liturgy continued in use there, despite disapproval and a dispute over tax. Kennedy, however, was in bad health and died in 22 July 1564.

Works

Kennedy is considered to have innovated as a theologian, restating orthodox Catholic

eucharistic The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

doctrine for his times. In 1558 he published ''A Compendious treatise, conform to the Scriptures of Almighty God, to Reason and Authority, declaring the nearest and only Way to establish the Conscience of a Christian Man, in all Matters which are in Debate concerning Faith and Religion''. In 1561 he wrote a treatise against the reformed ministers, printed in 1812 from manuscript, and a manuscript work on the mass.

Notes

External links

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Quintin 1520 births 1564 deaths Scottish abbots Scottish theologians