Samuel Angus (27 August 1881 – 17 November 1943) was professor of New Testament and Church History at St Andrew's College in the University of Sydney from 1915 to 1943.

Samuel Angus
Born(1881-08-11)August 11, 1881
County Antrim, Ireland
DiedNovember 17, 1943(1943-11-17) (aged 62)
Paddington, New South Wales, Australia
Academic background
Alma materPrinceton University
University of Galway
Academic work
DisciplineBible studies
InstitutionsColumbia University
Sydney University
Hartford Seminary

Early life

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Angus was born near Ballymena, County Antrim, Ireland, the eldest son of John Cowan Angus, farmer, and his wife Sarah, née Harper. He studied at the Collegiate School, Ballymena, and won a scholarship to Queen's (University) College, Galway, receiving a B.A. in 1902 and an M.A. in 1903.[1]

Angus then studied at Princeton Theological Seminary and Princeton University, gaining his PhD in 1906. He was appointed as a chaplain of the Scotch Church in Algiers, before being elected to St Andrew's College, University of Sydney in 1915.[1]

Career

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Angus's outspoken views of Christian theology were criticised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia, leading to formal charges of heresy.[2] Angus was later acquitted of these charges after an investigation conducted by the Juridical Commission of the Church.

Angus rejected many of the core traditional Christian beliefs, including the doctrine of the Trinity, the Biblical inspiration, the virgin birth and bodily resurrection of Christ.[3]

Angus earned an M.A. at Queen's College, Galway, and a second M.A. and a PhD from Princeton University. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary, but did not complete a degree. He held a lectureship at Hartford Theological Seminary from 1906 to 1910 and another in Louisville, Kentucky in 1912. Angus served as Visiting Professor of Education at Columbia University from 1929 to 1931.

Angus also spent some time as the Curator at Nicholson Museum in Sydney.[4]

Works

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  • Truth and Tradition: a Plea for Practical and Vital Religion and for Reinterpretation of Ancient Theologies, Sydney 1934
  • The Mystery Religions and Christianity (1925)[5]
  • The Religious Quests of the Graeco-Roman World: A Study in the Historical Background of Early Christianity (June 1929), Biblo-Moser ISBN 0-8196-0196-9 ISBN 978-0819601964
  • The Sources of the First Ten Books of Augustine's De Civitate Dei (1906)[6]
  • The Environment of Early Christianity (1914), Studies in Theology C. Scribner ASIN B00088EPA0
  • What Is A Mystery Religion? (?)[7]
  • Christianity and dogma (1933), Angus & Robertson ASIN B00088YJZ6
  • Forgiveness and life (Posthumously 1962); Chapters from an uncompleted book, "The Historical Approach to Jesus." Publisher: Angus and Robertson ASIN B0007JN3FS
  • The koine: The language of the New Testament (1910) Princeton University Press ASIN B0008BGFM8
  • Man and the new order (1941), Angus and Robertson ASIN B0007JZWKW
  • Religion in national life: Address to the University Association of Canberra, 6 October 1933 ASIN 00088YJYW
  • Alms for oblivion: chapters from a heretic's life (1943), Angus and Robertson

Family

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Angus married Katherine Duryea in 1907;[1] they had no children.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, 1979
  2. ^ National Library of Australia website, Record ID:35007149 
  3. ^ Huang, Wilson. "Radical Christianity 3". Pulp Australia. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  4. ^ Wright, A. C. "College Loans Artefact to University Museum". St Andrews College. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  5. ^ Republished by Kessinger Publishing, 2003 ISBN 0-7661-3101-7, ISBN 978-0-7661-3101-9 [1] Mystery Religions by Samuel Angus Publisher: Lyle Stuart Hardcover (June 1967) ISBN 0-8216-0123-7 ISBN 978-0821601235
  6. ^ Republished: Kessinger Publishing, ISBN 1-4365-2222-6 ISBN 978-1436522229 ASIN: B001KKPOJQ
  7. ^ Republished: Kessinger Publishing, Language: English ISBN 1-4254-5591-3 ISBN 978-1425455910
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