William Bright

1824-1901. Patristics scholar. Educated at Rugby School under Thomas Arnold and at Oxford, he taught at Trinity College, Glenalmond, and in 1868 succeeded H.L. Mansel* as regius professor of ecclesiastical history at Oxford. His main field was patristic history, though he also had a liturgical interest. Of his numerous works, the most important were History of the Church, 313-451 (1860); Early English Church History (1878); and The Age of the Fathers (2 vols., 1903). He was a dynamic lecturer; his religious views were High Church; and he wrote a number of hymns, some of which are still sung.