William Hugh Clifford Frend (11 January 1916 – 1 August 2005) was an English ecclesiastical historian,

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

, and

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

priest.

Academic career

* Haileybury College (scholar) * Keble College, Oxford (scholar, BA first class in modern history 1937, MA 1951, DPhil with thesis on Donatists 1940, DD 1966) * Craven Scholarship to study in Berlin (with Hans Lietzmann) and North Africa * Research fellowship at University of Nottingham * Associate Director, Egypt Exploration Society, Q'asr Ibrim, Nubia 1963–64 * Bye Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (BD 1964) * Fellow and university lecturer in divinity. During this time the Prince of Wales, then reading archaeology and anthropology at Trinity, was one of his students. * Professor of Ecclesiastical History, and Dean of the Faculty of Divinity, in the University of Glasgow 1969–84 (Emeritus 1984–2005) * Chairman, Association of University Teachers 1976–78 * Frend once stood for local government as Liberal Party candidate in Cambridge * In the 1980s he worked at Carthage with a team from the University of Michigan * In retirement was again elected Bye Fellow of Caius and in his last years wrote a new book about the early life of Augustine

Military career

* Assistant Principal, War Office 1940 * Seconded to Cabinet Office and served on Committees for Allied Supplies and the Free French * Liaison officer, Psychological Warfare Branch, Tunis * Service in Austria for 18 months * Italy *

Commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

Queen's Royal Regiment The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was a line infantry regiment of the English and later the British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Ar ...

1947–67

Ministry

Frend inclined towards the low church tradition. He was a sometimes reluctant liberal who cautiously supported the

ordination of women The ordination of women to ministerial or priestly office is an increasingly common practice among some contemporary major religious groups. It remains a controversial issue in certain Christian traditions and most denominations in which "ordina ...

but criticised Bishop David Jenkins of Durham over his non-traditional ideas about Christmas. He was considered a good and humble pastor and an enlightening, if theologically unconventional, preacher. * Reader 1956–82 * Ordained deacon in the Scottish Episcopal Church 1982 * Non stipendiary minister, Aberfoyle 1982–84 * Ordained priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church 1983 * Priest-in-charge, Barnwell with Thurning and Luddington 1984–90 * Permission to officiate in the

Diocese of Ely The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in Ely. There is one suffragan (subordinate) bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon. The diocese now co ...

1990–2005 * Until his death, he continued to take two services every month

Public recognition

* Złoty Krzyż Zasługi z Mieczami (Gold Cross of Merit with Swords), Government of the Polish Republic in Exile * Territorial Efficiency Decoration 1959 * Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London 1952 * Fellow of the Royal Historical Society 1954 * President of the

Ecclesiastical History Society The Ecclesiastical History Society (EHS) is a British learned historical society founded in 1961 to foster interest in, and to advance the study of, all areas of the history of the Christian Church through twice yearly conferences and publication ...

(1971-72) * D.D. ''honoris causa'', University of Edinburgh 1974 * Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1979 *

Fellow of the British Academy Fellowship of the British Academy (FBA) is an award granted by the British Academy to leading academics for their distinction in the humanities and social sciences. The categories are: # Fellows – scholars resident in the United Kingdom # C ...

1983 * He set up and financed the Frend Medal, awarded by the Society of Antiquaries for archaeology, history and topography of the early Christian Church. Recipients include

Harold McCarter Taylor Harold McCarter Taylor, (13 May 1907 – 23 October 1995) was a New Zealand-born British mathematician, theoretical physicist and academic administrator, but is best known as a historian of architecture and the author, with his first wife Joan Ta ...

and Charles Thomas (1981),

Philip Rahtz Philip Arthur Rahtz (11 March 1921 – 2 June 2011) was a British archaeologist. Rahtz was born in Bristol. After leaving Bristol Grammar School, he became an accountant before serving with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. D ...

(2003),

Günter P. Gehring Gunter or Günter may refer to: * Gunter rig, a type of rig used in sailing, especially in small boats * Gunter Annex, Alabama, a United States Air Force installation * Gunter, Texas, city in the United States People Surname * Chris Gunter ( ...

(2000)

Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle (15 July 1941 – 16 January 2010) was a Danish archaeologist specialising in History of Christianity in Britain, early Christianity in Britain. Education and career Birthe Kjølbye was born in Sønderborg on 15 July 1941. H ...

(1986),

Nancy Gauthier Nancy may refer to: Places France * Nancy, France, a city in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle and formerly the capital of the duchy of Lorraine ** Arrondissement of Nancy, surrounding and including the city of Nancy ...

(2002), and Samuel Turner 2004.

Family

Frend was married to Mary Grace (née Crook; 1951–2002). They had one son, Simon, and one daughter, Sally. His father was a priest of high church persuasion.

Major works

* ''The Donatist Church: A Movement of Protest in Roman North Africa'' (1952) * ''Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church'' (1965) * ''The Rise of the Monophysite Movement'' (1972) * ''The Rise of Christianity'' (1984)

Works and publications

* ''The Donatist Church: A Movement of Protest in Roman North Africa'', 1952 * ''Early Church'', 1964 * ''Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church'', 1965 * ''Saints & Sinners in the Early Church: Differing & Conflicting Traditions in the First Six Centuries'', 1970 * ''The Rise of the Monophysite Movement'', 1972 * ''Religion, Popular and Unpopular in the Early Christian Centuries'', 1976 * ''Town and Country in the Early Christian Centuries'', 1980 * ''The Rise of Christianity'', 1984 * ''Archaeology and History in the Study of Early Christianity'', 1988 * ''The Archaeology of Early Christianity: A History'', 1996 * ''Orthodoxy, Paganism and Dissent in the Early Christian Centuries'', 2002 * ''From Dogma to History: How Our Understanding of the Early Church Developed'', 2003

Works co-authored with J. Stevenson

* ''A New Eusebius: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD 337''
J. Stevenson (Editor of the 1957 First Edition), William H. C. Frend (Co-Revisor for the 1987 Second Edition) * ''Creeds, Councils and Controversies: Documents Illustrating the History of the Church, AD 337–461''
J. Stevenson (Editor of the 1966 First Edition), William H. C. Frend (Co-Revisor for the 1989 Second Edition)

References

External links

''Church Times'' obituary

''Telegraph'' obituary

''The Times'' obituary

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frend, William Hugh Clifford 1916 births 2005 deaths Fellows of the Royal Historical Society Alumni of Keble College, Oxford Fellows of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge People educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London Fellows of the British Academy Presidents of the Ecclesiastical History Society Academics of the University of Glasgow 20th-century English Anglican priests English Christians Anglican scholars Scottish Episcopalian priests Historians of Christianity 20th-century English historians British historians of religion