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Alexander Geddes (14 September 1737 – 26 February 1802) was a Scottish Catholic theologian and scholar.^[1] He translated a major part of the Old Testament of the Catholic Bible into English.

Translations and commentaries

Geddes was born at Rathven, Banffshire, of Catholic parentage, and educated for the priesthood at the local seminary of Scalan, and at Paris; he became a priest in his native county.

His translation of the Satires of Horace made him known as a scholar, but his liberalism led to his suspension. He then went to London, where he became known to Baron Petre, who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for English Catholics,^[2] which he carried on as far as the Book of Second Chronicles and the Prayer of Manasseh which was published in 2 volumes (1792–1797). A translation of Psalms was published in 1807. Geddes was also a poet, and wrote Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral, Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente (1790), in praise of the French Revolution.^{[citation needed]}

He released his Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures in 1800,^[2] wherein he largely anticipated the German school of higher criticism.^[3] The result of this publication was Geddes's suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. Arguing for the mythic character of the Pentateuch, he cast doubt not on those books' veracity but their historicity, seeing in the Fall for example "the mythic account of the painful condition of human life," rather than a historical chronicle.^[4]

He died without recanting his works of higher criticism, but received absolution at the hands of a French priest, though public Mass for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers. He is buried next to the south-east corner of St. Mary's Church in Paddington, London.

Publications

The Holy Bible, or the Books accounted sacred by Jews and Christians, otherwise called the books of the Old and New Covenant; faithfully translated from corrected texts of the originals. With various readings, explanatory notes, and critical remarks.^[2] By Alexander Geddes. (J. Davis, London. 1797).
English translations of Homer

External links

History of Biblical Criticism (Higher)
Reid), George Joseph (1908). "Biblical Criticism" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Geddes Bible Editions
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via Wikisource.

References

^ According to The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Philosophy, Geddes "was one of the great literary and biblical scholars of his day." (Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 704.)
^ ^a ^b ^c Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Geddes, Alexander" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 547.
^ Cf. Reginald C. Fuller, Alexander Geddes: A Pioneer of Biblical Criticism, 1737–1802, Toronto 1984, ISBN 0-907459-26-9).
^ Lehner, Ulrich L. (2016). The Catholic enlightenment : the forgotten history of a global movement. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-19-023291-7. OCLC 907446002.

[1] According to The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Philosophy, Geddes "was one of the great literary and biblical scholars of his day." (Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 704.)

[EB1911-2] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Geddes, Alexander" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 547.

[3] Cf. Reginald C. Fuller, Alexander Geddes: A Pioneer of Biblical Criticism, 1737–1802, Toronto 1984, ISBN 0-907459-26-9).

[4] Lehner, Ulrich L. (2016). The Catholic enlightenment : the forgotten history of a global movement. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-19-023291-7. OCLC 907446002.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{for|the Scottish communist activist|Alec Geddes}}
 {{for|the meteorologist|Alexander Geddes (meteorologist)}}
+{{Short description|Scottish theologian and translator 1737–1802}}
 {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
 {{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
 [[File:The grave of Rev Alexander Geddes, St Marys Paddington.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|The grave of Rev Alexander Geddes, St Marys Paddington]]
-'''Alexander Geddes''' (14 September 1737 – 26 February 1802) was a [[Scotland|Scottish]] theologian and scholar.<ref>According to ''The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Philosophy'', Geddes "was one of the great literary and biblical scholars of his day." (Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 704.)</ref> He translated a major part of the [[Old Testament]] of the Catholic [[Bible]] into English.
+'''Alexander Geddes''' (14 September 1737 – 26 February 1802) was a [[Catholic Church in Scotland|Scottish Catholic]] theologian and scholar.<ref>According to ''The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Philosophy'', Geddes "was one of the great literary and biblical scholars of his day." (Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 704.)</ref> He translated a major part of the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Catholic Bible]] into English.
 ==Translations and commentaries==
-Geddes was born at [[Rathven, Banffshire|Rathven]], [[Banffshire]], of [[Roman Catholic]] parentage, and educated for the priesthood at the local seminary of [[Scalan]], and at [[Paris]]; he became a priest in his native county.
+Geddes was born at [[Rathven]], [[Banffshire]], of [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] parentage, and educated for the priesthood at the local seminary of [[Scalan]], and at [[Paris]]; he became a priest in his native county.
-His translation of the ''Satires'' of [[Horace]] made him known as a scholar, but his [[liberalism]] led to his suspension. He then went to [[London]], where he became known to [[Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre|Baron Petre]], who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for English Roman Catholics,<ref name=EB1911>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Geddes, Alexander |volume=11 |page=547}}</ref> which he carried on as far as the Book of Second Chronicles and the Prayer of Manasseh which was published in 2 volumes (1792–1797). A translation of ''[[Psalms]]'' was published in 1807.
+His translation of the ''Satires'' of [[Horace]] made him known as a scholar, but his [[liberalism]] led to his suspension. He then went to [[London]], where he became known to [[Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre|Baron Petre]], who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for [[Catholic Church in England and Wales|English Catholics]],<ref name=EB1911>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Geddes, Alexander |volume=11 |page=547}}</ref> which he carried on as far as the Book of Second Chronicles and the Prayer of Manasseh which was published in 2 volumes (1792–1797). A translation of ''[[Psalms]]'' was published in 1807. Geddes was also a [[poet]], and wrote ''Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral'', ''Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente'' (1790), in  praise of the [[French Revolution]].{{Citation needed|reason=The poem makes no mention of the French Revolution|date=July 2020}}
-This was followed by ''Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures'' (1800),<ref name=EB1911/> in which he largely anticipated the German school of [[Higher Criticism]].<ref>Cf. [[Reginald C. Fuller]], ''Alexander Geddes: A Pioneer of Biblical Criticism, 1737–1802'', Toronto 1984, {{ISBN|0-907459-26-9}}).</ref> The result of this publication was Geddes's suspension from all ecclesiastical functions.
+He released his ''Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures'' in 1800,<ref name=EB1911/> wherein he largely anticipated the German school of [[Historical criticism|higher criticism]].<ref>Cf. [[Reginald C. Fuller]], ''Alexander Geddes: A Pioneer of Biblical Criticism, 1737–1802'', Toronto 1984, {{ISBN|0-907459-26-9}}).</ref> The result of this publication was Geddes's suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. Arguing for the mythic character of the [[Torah|Pentateuch]], he cast doubt not on those books' veracity but their [[historicity]], seeing in the [[Fall of man|Fall]] for example "the mythic account of the painful condition of human life," rather than a historical chronicle.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lehner|first=Ulrich L.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/907446002|title=The Catholic enlightenment : the forgotten history of a global movement|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-023291-7|location=New York, NY|pages=32|oclc=907446002}}</ref>
+He died without recanting his works of higher criticism, but received [[Absolution (religious)|absolution]] at the hands of a French priest, though public Mass for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers. He is buried next to the south-east corner of St. Mary's Church in Paddington, [[London]].
-Geddes was also a [[poet]], and wrote ''Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral'', ''Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente'' (1790), in  praise of the [[French Revolution]].
-He died without recanting, but received [[Absolution (religious)|absolution]] at the hands of a French priest, though public mass for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers.
-He is buried next to the south-east corner of St. Mary's Church in Paddington, [[London]].
 ==Publications==
@@ Line 39: / Line 36: @@
 [[Category:1802 deaths]]
 [[Category:Scottish scholars and academics]]
-[[Category:18th-century Scottish people]]
+[[Category:18th-century Scottish writers]]
 [[Category:People from Banffshire]]
-[[Category:Scottish Roman Catholic priests]]
+[[Category:18th-century Scottish Roman Catholic priests]]
+[[Category:Roman Catholic biblical scholars]]
 [[Category:Scottish translators]]
 [[Category:Scholars of Greek language]]
-[[Category:British biblical scholars]]
+[[Category:Scottish biblical scholars]]
 [[Category:Scottish classical scholars]]
 [[Category:Scottish poets]]

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