John Barclay (1734-1798)
Encyclopedia
John Barclay was a Scottish
minister of religion
, and founder of the Bereans
.
He was born in Perthshire
and died in Edinburgh
. He graduated at St. Andrews, and after being licensed became assistant to the parish minister of Errol
in Perthshire
. Owing to differences with the minister, he left in 1763 and was appointed assistant to Antony Dow of Fettercairn
, Kincardine
. In 1772 he was rejected as successor to Dow, and was even refused by the presbytery the testimonials required in order to obtain another living. The refusal of the presbytery was sustained by the General Assembly
, and Barclay then left the Scottish church and founded congregations at Sauchyburn, Edinburgh
and London
. His followers were called Barclayans, Barclayites or Bereans
, the latter because they regulated their conduct by study of the Scriptures after the biblical Bereans of Acts xvii. 11. They held to a modified form of Calvinism
. The Berean Church had congregations in Scotland
, London
and Bristol
, but mainly merged with the Congregationalists after Barclay's death.
His works, which included many hymns and paraphrases of the psalms, and a book called Without Faith, without God, were edited by J. Thomson and D. Macmillan, with a memoir (1852).
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
minister of religion
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
, and founder of the Bereans
Bereans
In ancient times, the Bereans were the inhabitants of the city of Berea, also known in the Bible as Beroea, and now known as Veria in what is today northern Greece. The name has been taken up by certain Protestant groups.-Biblical context:...
.
He was born in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
and died in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. He graduated at St. Andrews, and after being licensed became assistant to the parish minister of Errol
Errol, Perth and Kinross
Errol is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland about halfway between Dundee and Perth. It is one of the principal settlements of the Carse of Gowrie....
in Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. Owing to differences with the minister, he left in 1763 and was appointed assistant to Antony Dow of Fettercairn
Fettercairn
Fettercairn is a small village in northeast Scotland. It is located northwest of Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire on the B966 from Edzell...
, Kincardine
Kincardine
Kincardine or Kincardine-on-Forth is a small town located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. The town was given the status of a Burgh of barony in 1663. It was at one time a reasonably prosperous minor port...
. In 1772 he was rejected as successor to Dow, and was even refused by the presbytery the testimonials required in order to obtain another living. The refusal of the presbytery was sustained by the General Assembly
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, and Barclay then left the Scottish church and founded congregations at Sauchyburn, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His followers were called Barclayans, Barclayites or Bereans
Bereans
In ancient times, the Bereans were the inhabitants of the city of Berea, also known in the Bible as Beroea, and now known as Veria in what is today northern Greece. The name has been taken up by certain Protestant groups.-Biblical context:...
, the latter because they regulated their conduct by study of the Scriptures after the biblical Bereans of Acts xvii. 11. They held to a modified form of Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
. The Berean Church had congregations in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, but mainly merged with the Congregationalists after Barclay's death.
His works, which included many hymns and paraphrases of the psalms, and a book called Without Faith, without God, were edited by J. Thomson and D. Macmillan, with a memoir (1852).
External links
- John Barclay The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001.
- John Barclay biography at Significant Scots, Electric Scotland