L. P. Jacks
Lawrence Pearsall Jacks, commonly known as L. P. Jacks, was a notable Unitarian minister, educator, and writer born in 1860. Active in Britain and North America during the early 1900s, Jacks played a significant role in religious and philosophical discourse. His educational journey included a degree from the University of London and a transformative experience at Manchester New College, where he embraced Unitarianism. Jacks served as a minister at various churches, including the Renshaw Street Chapel in Liverpool and the Church of the Messiah in Birmingham. He was also the editor of the Hibbert Journal from its inception in 1902 until 1948, elevating it to a leading platform for discussions on religion and philosophy. In addition to his editorial work, Jacks held a professorship at Manchester College and later became its principal. After retiring in 1931, he focused on literary criticism, publishing notable works such as "Revolt Against Mechanism" in 1933. Jacks was a sought-after lecturer during the 1920s and 1930s and continued to impact the intellectual landscape until his death in 1955.
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L. P. Jacks
Writer
- Born: October 9, 1860
- Birthplace: Nottingham, England
- Died: February 17, 1955
- Place of death: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Biography
Lawrence Pearsall Jacks, commonly known as L. P. Jacks, was born in 1860. He was a popular Unitarian minister in Britain and North America in the early 1900’s. He was both an educator and writer.
Jacks attended several private schools growing up, but he hated most of them. During this time, he received a degree from the University of London as an external student. In 1882, he attended Manchester New College, where he discovered Unitarianism. After his graduation in 1886, he went to Harvard for a year on scholarship. Several years later, Jacks was appointed the Unitarian minister of the Renshaw Street Chapel in Liverpool. In 1894, he would move to the Church of the Messiah in Birmingham.
From its foundation in 1902 to 1948, Jacks served as an editor for the Hibbert Journal. In a few years, it became the leading journal on the discussion of religion and philosophy in Britain. In addition to editing, Jacks also taught. Manchester College appointed him to a professorship in 1903. He studied and taught philosophy, focusing on the works of Spinoza and Henri Bergson. Jacks became principal of Manchester College in 1915 until his retirement in 1931. He claimed that his goals were set too high in his autobiography, Confessions of an Octogenarian, and was disappointed with his progress at the position.
Jacks spent his retirement writing literary works of criticism. One of the more famous books of this nature was Revolt Against Mechanism, written in 1933, which proclaimed that the German military must be defeated. In addition, he was a powerful, popular lecturer in Britain and America between 1920 and the end of the 1930’s. Jacks died in 1955.