John Whitgift
John Whitgift was an influential figure in the Church of England during the late 16th century, born around 1530 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Educated at prestigious institutions such as St. Anthony's School in London and Queens' College, Cambridge, he was ordained as a priest in 1560 and rapidly ascended through the ecclesiastical ranks. Whitgift served as the bishop of Worcester from 1577 to 1583 before becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held until his death in 1604. He was a close advisor to Queen Elizabeth I and played a significant role in strengthening the Anglican Church's stance against Puritan reforms.
Whitgift is known for his firm opposition to Puritan movements, actively defending the established church through various writings and public sermons. In particular, his responses to the Puritan pamphlets, such as the "Admonition to the Parliament," initiated a significant theological debate during his time. He implemented strict regulations at Trinity College, where he served as Master, and founded both a school and a hospital in Croydon. Whitgift's legacy is marked by his efforts to unify the church and maintain its authority in a period of religious turmoil in England. His life and works reflect the complexities of religious leadership during a pivotal time in English history.
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John Whitgift
Archbishop
- Born: c. 1530
- Birthplace: Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England
- Died: February 29, 1604
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
John Whitgift was born around 1530 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. The son of a wealthy merchant, he was educated at St. Anthony’s School in London, at Queens’ College in Cambridge, and at Pembroke Hall. He was ordained in 1560, was appointed Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity at Cambridge in 1563, became prolocutor of the Lower House of Convocation in 1571, and was bishop of Worcester from 1577 to 1583.
In 1569, Whitgift was asked to preach before Queen Elizabeth I. He chose, with good reason, to preach about conformity, this being the religious favorite subject of the queen. He left a lasting impression, and was soon appointed royal chaplain, then regius professor of divinity, and finally Master of Trinity College at Cambridge. Whitgift is reputed to have ruled the college with an iron fist, accepting no disorder or dispute to his rules.
Whitgift became the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1583 and was a trusted minister to Elizabeth I. As archbishop, he helped fortify the position of the Anglican Church in English society. He resisted conciliatory gestures toward the Puritans, and sent his chaplain to uncover covert Presbyterianism, though he sought only to reform and unify, not to punish. He founded a school and a hospital at Croydon, England.
Puritans and conformists caused an uproar in 1572 with the publication of the anonymous Admonition to the Parliament, followed later that year by A Second Admonition to the Parliament. Archbishop Matthew Parker assigned Whitgift the task of answering these admonitions. Whitgift wrote An Answere to a Certen Libel Intituled, “An Admonition to the Parliament,” which was released in 1573 as a response to those who wished to reform the Church of England. Ironically enough, it was really an “answer,” as it was written in such a format as to have the original admonition reprinted so that Whitgift could rebuke the allegations, paragraph by paragraph. Thus began a back-and-forth game of making allegations and then rebuking them; in 1573 Cartwright published Reply to an Answer Made of Doctor Whitgift Against the “Admonition,” soon to be followed by Whitgift’s 1574 The Defense of the Aunswere to the “Admonition,” Against the Replie, this being the last printed work of this argument between Whitgift and Cartwright.
Whitgift was named by Elizabeth I as archbishop in 1583. His first act of duty was his writing of the Eleven Articles, which effectively eliminated every loophole by which Puritans had survived in England. He lived out his years as a devoted servant of Elizabeth I and the church of England. Elizabeth I called him her “little black husband,” according to the Dictionary of Literary Biography. His Works were published in 1851-1853.
Whitgift died in London on February 29, 1604. He was interred at the church in Croydon.