James Denney (1856 - 1917) - Biopic

The birth of James Denney in 1856 marked the nineteenth years of the reign of Queen Victoria.  Scotland, as all of Britain, was experiencing new wealth and confidence as the empire was being built and international trade was beginning to expand to the limits of the imagination, while the new industrial processes were producing a different world with new wealth and new problems.

The church scene depicted three major denominations: the Established Church, the Free Church, and the United Presbyterian Church - together with a number of smaller independent bodies, such as, the Cameronians, "each small in size and holding tenaciously to its important distinctive dogmas."  Religious thinking in Scotland was focussed largely on the past, and displayed a dependence upon the conservative evangelicalism of the 16th and 17th centuries.  At this historical juncture, the doctrines of grace, which are vital to true biblical Christianity, were faithfully proclaimed and embraced by the Church.  This was a staunchly Calvinistic period of the Scottish church's history, and a resolute reliance on the formularies of Calvinistic doctrine which were rigidly interpreted, was in evidence.  It was a day of theological formality and austere orthodoxy.

Born on 5th February 1856 in Paisley, near Glasgow in Scotland, James Denney grew up in the sea-port of Greenock, on the Firth of Clyde. His family were members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, the small denomination also known as the Cameronians, and which had its origin in the courageous controversies which gripped Scotland towards the end of the 17th century. His early education was at the Highlanders' Academic in Greenock, a large school which provided a thoroughly sound but plain education at a low cost.  He later became a pupil-teacher there.  He matriculated as an Arts Student at Glasgow University in November 1874, took an eminent position from the first, studied there for five years, and had the rare distinction of gaining a "double first" honours degree in Classics and Philosophy.  This was followed by four years of theological training at Trinity College where he acquitted himself well in his studies.  His teachers under whose stimulating instruction he came, included profs A. B. Bruce, J. S. Candlish, and T. M. Lindsay, though it was perhaps Bruce who most influenced Denney.

During an eleven year parish ministry at Broughty Ferry, Dundee, he gave his theological lectures in Chicago, which were later published in 1895 under the title, Studies in Theology.  Also at that time, he wrote his commentaries on the letters of Paul to the Thessalonians (1892), and on Second Corinthians (1894).  Then followed his commentary on the Greek text of Romans, The Death of Christ, and Jesus and the Gospel.  His book of sermons, The Way Everlasting, presents his characteristic thoughts with marked simplicity and power, and has taught many ministers how the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be preached.  He was then elected to the Chair of Systematic and Pastoral Theology in the Glasgow College in 1897, and two years later, transferred to the Chair of New Testament, which was his field of specialism.  He occupied this position until his death in 1917, the last two years of which as principal of the College.

An examination of Denney's works will reveal that his scholarly mind has grappled with the impact of philosophical empiricism and theological liberalism on orthodox theology, particularly in the person of Albrecht Ritschl, the father of theological liberalism.  There can be no doubt that Ritschl, himself, came under strong philosophical influences, which have left their mark on his theology, and whose theology, in turn, has marked most of the major Christian denominations in the western world.

(Extract from J. E. Hazlett Lynch's unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, 1990).