John Caird DD LLD (1820–1898) was a Scottish

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 ...

. He entered the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

, of which he became one of the most eloquent preachers. He served as the Principal of the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

from 1873 until 1898.

Life

He was born at 24 Nicholson Street in Greenock on 15 December 1820, the son of John Caird of Caird and Co. and Janet Young. His younger brother was

Edward Caird Edward Caird (; 23 March 1835 – 1 November 1908) was a Scottish philosopher. He was a holder of LLD, DCL, and DLitt. Life The younger brother of the theologian John Caird, he was the son of engineer John Caird, the proprietor of Caird & ...

. He was educated at Greenock Grammar School, and then attended the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

graduating MA in 1845. He spent some time as a missionary in

Ardentinny Ardentinny ( gd, Àird an t-Sionnaich or Àird an Teine) is a small village on the western shore of Loch Long, north of Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scottish Highlands. Nearby is Cruach a Chaise (Cheese Hill), while on the ...

before being licensed to preach as a Church of Scotland minister by the Presbytery of Glasgow in 1845.Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana vol.7 by Hew Scott In September 1845 he was ordained as minister at Newton-on-Ayr, translating to Lady Yester's Church in Edinburgh in May 1847, and to Errol, Perthshire in July 1849. Caird was transferred to Park Church, Glasgow in 1857, being appointed Chaplain in Ordinary to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

in the same year. In 1862 he became Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow, and, in 1873 following the death of Thomas Barclay, became Principal of the university, a post which he then held for 26 years, until 1898. The University of Glasgow made him a Doctor of Divinity in 1860 and

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

awarded him an honorary

Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor ...

in 1863. Edinburgh gave him a second DD doctorate in 1884.Fasti Ecclesiastae Scoticana vol.7 by Hew Scott p.398 A sermon on ''Religion in Common Life'', preached before

, made him known throughout the Protestant world. He wrote '' An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion'' (1880), and ''Spinoza'' (1888). Caird delivered the 1892–1896

Gifford Lectures The Gifford Lectures () are an annual series of lectures which were established in 1887 by the will of Adam Gifford, Lord Gifford. Their purpose is to "promote and diffuse the study of natural theology in the widest sense of the term – in o ...

at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

, entitled ''The Fundamental Ideas of Christianity''. In 1897 he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He died on 30 July 1898 in Greenock and is buried in Greenock Cemetery. His position as Principal was filled by

Robert Herbert Story Robert Herbert Story (28 January 1835 – 13 January 1907) was a Scottish divine and Principal of the University of Glasgow. He attained the highest position in the Scottish church as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ...

Family

In June 1858 he married Isabella Riddle Glover, daughter of Rev Dr William Glover of Greenside. They had no children.

Publications

*Religion in Common Life (1855) *The Fundamental Ideas of Christianity 2 vols. (1899)

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

* * * ;Attribution *

External links

*
Biography and Summary of Gifford Lectures
by Dr Brannon Hancock {{DEFAULTSORT:Caird, John 1820 births 1898 deaths Principals of the University of Glasgow Scottish Calvinist and Reformed theologians Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 19th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland People from Greenock People educated at Greenock Academy Alumni of the University of Glasgow Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Scottish philosophers Philosophers of religion Spinoza scholars