William Gibson (historian)
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Gibson is a historian
, academic, and professor
who specialises in the history of religion in Britain in the early modern period.
He was educated at Huish’s Grammar School
, Taunton, Somerset; St David’s University College
, Lampeter (now the University of Wales, Lampeter), Lincoln College, Oxford
, and Middlesex University
.
before holding posts in further education colleges in Southampton and Basingstoke. He was also an inspector in the post-compulsory sector for some years. In 1999-2000 he was Hartley Fellow at Southampton University and in 2004 was appointed Academic Director for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Institute of Education, Oxford Brookes University
. In 2006 he was awarded the title Professor.
Gibson has been described as ‘one of that school of ecclesiastical historians… which in the late twentieth century has given fresh impetus and vitality to the revisionist view of the eighteenth-century Church...’ (John Guy in Journal of Welsh Religious History, 1997) Gibson’s championing of the ‘optimistic’ view of the eighteenth century Church has drawn criticism from historians. The debate has been most recently aired in Reviews in History (Institute of Historical Research London, http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/paper/snaperesp.html). His biography of Benjamin Hoadly, though generally well received, has been viewed as an overly strong statement of the optimist’s defence of a latitudinarian bishop (“a valuable if perhaps slightly overstated reappraisal of one of the foremost pillars of the Georgian religious establishment” –Robin Eagles ‘The Eighteenth Century’ in Annual Bulletin of Historical Literature, December 2006.)
In February 2008 he was appointed as Director of the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History.
In October 2009 he was visiting fellow at Baylor University
, Texas. In April 2011 he was visiting fellow at Yale University.
, 1995)http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=1498&pc=9; A Social History of the Domestic Chaplain, 1530-1840, (Leicester University Press/Cassell, 1996); Religion and Society in England and Wales, 1689-1800, (Leicester UP/Cassell, 1998); The Church of England 1688-1832: Unity and Accord, (Routledge, 2001); The Enlightenment Bishop: Benjamin Hoadly 1676-1761, (James Clarke & Co, 2004)http://www.lutterworth.com/jamesclarke/; Religion and the Enlightenment 1600-1800: Conflict and the Rise of Civic Humanism in Taunton, (Peter Lang, 2007)http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?vID=10922&vLang=E&vHR=1&vUR=2&vUUR=1. He is the author of numerous articles.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, academic, and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
who specialises in the history of religion in Britain in the early modern period.
Education
He received BA(hons) MA (Wales), PGCE (Oxon), PhD (Middlesex), DLitt (Wales), FRHistS, FRSA, FBS.He was educated at Huish’s Grammar School
Richard Huish College, Taunton
Richard Huish College is named after Richard Huish who originally established the college as a grammar school for boys in the 18th century. Since 1979 it has been a sixth form college...
, Taunton, Somerset; St David’s University College
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
, Lampeter (now the University of Wales, Lampeter), Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, and Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
.
Biography
He initially worked as a teacher in a comprehensive schoolComprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
before holding posts in further education colleges in Southampton and Basingstoke. He was also an inspector in the post-compulsory sector for some years. In 1999-2000 he was Hartley Fellow at Southampton University and in 2004 was appointed Academic Director for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Institute of Education, Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
. In 2006 he was awarded the title Professor.
Gibson has been described as ‘one of that school of ecclesiastical historians… which in the late twentieth century has given fresh impetus and vitality to the revisionist view of the eighteenth-century Church...’ (John Guy in Journal of Welsh Religious History, 1997) Gibson’s championing of the ‘optimistic’ view of the eighteenth century Church has drawn criticism from historians. The debate has been most recently aired in Reviews in History (Institute of Historical Research London, http://www.history.ac.uk/reviews/paper/snaperesp.html). His biography of Benjamin Hoadly, though generally well received, has been viewed as an overly strong statement of the optimist’s defence of a latitudinarian bishop (“a valuable if perhaps slightly overstated reappraisal of one of the foremost pillars of the Georgian religious establishment” –Robin Eagles ‘The Eighteenth Century’ in Annual Bulletin of Historical Literature, December 2006.)
In February 2008 he was appointed as Director of the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History.
In October 2009 he was visiting fellow at Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
, Texas. In April 2011 he was visiting fellow at Yale University.
Writings
His books include, Church, State and Society, 1760-1850 (Macmillans, 1994)http://www.palgrave.com/newsearch/Catalogue.aspx?is=033358757X; The Achievement of the Anglican Church, 1689-1800: The Confessional State in England in the Eighteenth Century, (Edwin Mellen PressEdwin Mellen Press
The Edwin Mellen Press, based in Lewiston, New York is a niche publisher of scholarly material and advanced research in the humanities and social sciences. They publish a variety of tomes including monographs, bibliographies, concordances, dictionaries, conference proceedings, dissertations, and...
, 1995)http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=1498&pc=9; A Social History of the Domestic Chaplain, 1530-1840, (Leicester University Press/Cassell, 1996); Religion and Society in England and Wales, 1689-1800, (Leicester UP/Cassell, 1998); The Church of England 1688-1832: Unity and Accord, (Routledge, 2001); The Enlightenment Bishop: Benjamin Hoadly 1676-1761, (James Clarke & Co, 2004)http://www.lutterworth.com/jamesclarke/; Religion and the Enlightenment 1600-1800: Conflict and the Rise of Civic Humanism in Taunton, (Peter Lang, 2007)http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?vID=10922&vLang=E&vHR=1&vUR=2&vUUR=1. He is the author of numerous articles.