Arthur Cushman McGiffert (March 4, 18611933), American

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, was born in

Sauquoit, New York Sauquoit is a hamlet in the Town of Paris, Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located on New York Route 8, approximately six miles south of Utica and east of Paris village. It straddles Sauquoit Creek, a small Mohawk River tributa ...

, the son of a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

of Scots-Irish descent.

Biography

He graduated at Western Reserve College in 1882 and at Union Theological Seminary in 1885, studied in Germany (especially under Harnack) in 1885–1887, and in Italy and France in 1888, and in that year received the degree of

doctor of philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

Marburg Marburg ( or ) is a university town in the German federal state (''Bundesland'') of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district (''Landkreis''). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has a population of approximat ...

. He was instructor (1888-1890) and professor (1890-1893) of

church history __NOTOC__ Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception. Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritua ...

Lane Theological Seminary Lane Seminary, sometimes called Cincinnati Lane Seminary, and later renamed Lane Theological Seminary, was a Presbyterian theological college that operated from 1829 to 1932 in Walnut Hills, Ohio, today a neighborhood in Cincinnati. Its camp ...

, and in 1893 became Washburn professor of church history in Union theological seminary, succeeding

Philip Schaff Philip Schaff (January 1, 1819 – October 20, 1893) was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and ecclesiastical historian, who spent most of his adult life living and teaching in the United States. Biography Schaff was born ...

. He became the 8th president of Union Seminary in 1917.

Career

His published work, except occasional critical studies in philosophy, dealt with church history and the history of

dogma Dogma is a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam ...

. His best known publication is a ''History of Christianity in the Apostolic Age'' (1897). This book, which sustains critical historical eminence to this day, by its independent criticism and departures from traditionalism, aroused the opposition of the General Assembly of the

Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

; though the charges brought against McGiffert were dismissed by the Presbytery of New York, to which they had been referred, a trial for

heresy Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important relig ...

seemed inevitable, and McGiffert, in 1900, retired from the Presbyterian ministry and retained his credentialed status by eager recognition from a

Congregational Church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

. Likewise he retained his distinguished position at Union Theological Seminary. ''A History of Christian Thought'' constituted a two volume work (1932, 1933) which established an American standard in theological studies and is still cited regularly by scholars. Among his other publications are: ''A Dialogue between a Christian and a Jew'' (1888); a translation (with introduction and notes) of

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Chris ...

's ''Church History'' (1890; part of

's ''

Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers ''A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church'', usually known as the ''Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers'' (NPNF), is a set of books containing translations of early Christian writings into English. It was publi ...

'' series); and ''The Apostle's Creed'' (1902), in which he attempted to prove that the old Roman creed was formulated as a protest against the dualism of

Marcion Marcion of Sinope (; grc, Μαρκίων ; ) was an early Christian theologian in early Christianity. Marcion preached that God had sent Jesus Christ who was an entirely new, alien god, distinct from the vengeful God of Israel who had created ...

and his denial of the reality of Jesus's life on earth.

Works

*''A Dialogue between a Christian and a Jew'' (1888) *''Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine the Great, etc. ranslated by A.C. McGiffert, and others.' (1890) *''Primitive and Catholic Christianity: an address'' (1893) *''A History of Christianity in the Apostolic Age'' (1897) *''The Apostles' Creed: its origin, its purpose, and its historical interpretation: a lecture, with critical notes'' (1902) *''Protestant Thought before Kant'' (1909) *''Modernism and Catholicism'' (1910) *''Martin Luther and His Work'' (1911) *''The Rise of Modern Religious Ideas'' (1912) *''The God of the Early Christians'' (1924) *''A History of Christian Thought'' 2 Volumes (1932, 1933)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:McGiffert, Arthur Cushman American theologians American religious writers Case Western Reserve University alumni Union Theological Seminary (New York City) alumni 1861 births 1933 deaths People from Sauquoit, New York