James Denney

1856-1917. Scottish theologian. Born in Paisley, he graduated in arts with great distinction at Glasgow University, was trained in theology at the Free Church College in that city, and in 1886 became minister of the East Church, Broughty Ferry. During his eleven years there he published commentaries on Thessalonians and Second Corinthians, and Studies in Theology. In 1897 he took the chair of systematic theology at his former college, transferring to the NT department in 1900. He was college principal for the last two years of his life. In 1900 appeared his monumental work on Romans, followed in 1903 by The Death of Christ. He once declared that the only theology he was interested in was the theology that could be preached. He became a leader in his church's courts after his church united with the United Presbyterians in 1900 to form the United Free Church,* and contributed to the distant (1929) union with the national church of Scotland. His other writings include Jesus and the Gospel (1908), his book of sermons The Way Everlasting (1911), and the posthumous Christian Doctrine of Reconciliation. Denney was also a strong protagonist of temperance and civic righteousness.