John Geddes MacGregor (13 Nov. 1909–9 Oct. 1998)[1] was an author, scholar of philosophy, educator, and an ordained Episcopal priest.
John Geddes MacGregor | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 November 1909 |
| Died | 9 October 1998 (aged 88)[1] |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | United States (naturalized in 1957) |
| Occupation | Professor of philosophy |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Sutherland McAllister |
| Children | Marie Geddes (born 1944), Martin Gregor Geddes (born 1946) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh (New College); University of Oxford (Queen's College) |
| Doctoral advisor | Austin Farrer |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | Bryn Mawr College, University of Southern California |
Biography
editMacGregor was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1909, and his early life was spent in Edinburgh, Dundee, and in continental Europe.[2]
MacGregor received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from the University of Edinburgh (BD, 1939).[3][2][4] He later received a Bachelor of Laws from University of Edinburgh, New College (LLB, 1943),[4] and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford (DPhil, 1945, supervised by Austin Farrer).[4][3] For published work, he received a Doctorat ès lettres from the University of Paris (Dr ès l, 1951, Summa Cum Laude), and a Doctor of Divinity from University of Oxford (DD, 1959).[2][4] In 1978 he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD) degree from Hebrew Union College.[2]
MacGregor was raised Presbyterian, but as a young man in Edinburgh he converted to Roman Catholicism under the influence of Canon John Gray of Saint Peter's, Morningside.[3] Later, after receiving his BD degree in Edinburgh in 1939, MacGregor was ordained to the ministry in the Church of Scotland.[2] In 1968, while in the United States, he was ordained deacon and priest in the Episcopal Church.[3] A few days after his Episcopal ordainment, he was named canon of Saint Paul's Cathedral in Los Angeles.[5]
From 1949 to 1955 MacGregor served as the first Rufus Jones Professor of philosophy and religion at Bryn Mawr College.[6] In 1957, he became an American citizen.[3] In 1960 MacGregor was appointed Dean of the Graduate School of Religion at the University of Southern California, where he taught until 1975, having been appointed Distinguished Professor in 1966.[2][6]
MacGregor has been described as "one of the most distinguished Christian theologians to defend the reincarnation concept."[7]
In 1967, the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco honored MacGregor's book, The Hemlock and the Cross: Humanism, Socrates and Christ, as the year's best nonfiction work by a California author.[8][9]
Family life
editMacGregor married Elizabeth Sutherland McAllister on August 14, 1941, at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.[4]: 984 [2]: 114 They had two children together, Marie Geddes (born 1944) and Martin Gregor Geddes (born 1946); Elizabeth predeceased her husband in 1994.[4][2]
Selected works
edit- MacGregor, Geddes (1989). Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy. Description. Paragon House, New York. ISBN 1-55778-441-8
- MacGregor, Geddes (1980). The Nicene creed, illumined by modern thought. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. ISBN 0802818552. OCLC 1056603736.
- MacGregor, Geddes (1980). Scotland, an intimate portrait. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780395562369. OCLC 229200688.
- Also published as: MacGregor, Geddes (1980). Scotland forever home: an introduction to the Homeland for American and other Scots. Dodd, Mead. ISBN 9780396078043. OCLC 5706550.
- MacGregor, Geddes (1978). Reincarnation in Christianity: a new vision of the role of rebirth in Christian thought. Wheaton, Illinois: Theosophical Publishing House. ISBN 9780835605045. OCLC 3345339.
- MacGregor, Geddes (1968). A literary history of the Bible: from the Middle Ages to the present day. Nashville: Abingdon Press. OCLC 1089517366.
- MacGregor, Geddes (1966). God beyond doubt: an essay in the philosophy of religion. Lippincott. OCLC 378785.
- MacGregor, Geddes (1963). The hemlock and the cross: Humanism, Socrates, and Christ. Philadelphia: Lippincott. OCLC 1021301854.
Speculative
editMacGregor stated in 1979 that he wrote only one "speculative novel":[4]: 985
- MacGregor, Geddes (1954). From a Christian Ghetto: Letters of Ghostly Wit, Written A.D. 2453. London, New York: Longmans, Green. OCLC 2772825.
References
edit- ^ a b Anonymous (19 October 1998). "George W. Leisz; Former Head of Aerojet". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Family of John Geddes MacGregor (2000). "John Geddes MacGregor, 1909-1998". Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association. 74 (2): 113–114. ISSN 0065-972X. JSTOR 3219692.
- ^ a b c d e Campbell, Allan W. (29 October 1998). "Professor Geddes MacGregor [Obituary]". The Scotsman. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: 22. ISSN 0307-5850.
- ^ a b c d e f g Reginald, R. (1979). "Geddes MacGregor". Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Vol 2. Wildside Press LLC. pp. 984–985. ISBN 9780941028776.
- ^ Anonymous (30 November 1968). "USC Aide Ordained as Episcopal Priest; Dr. MacGregor Also Appointed Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral; Will Preach Sunday". Los Angeles Times. p. 16 (Part I).
- ^ a b Dostal, Robert. "History of the Department". www.brynmawr.edu. Bryn Mawr College. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ McClelland, Norman C. (2010). "MacGregor, Geddes". Encyclopedia of Reincarnation and Karma. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7864-4851-7. OCLC 770861087.
- ^ Anonymous (29 April 1967). "Professor at USC to be Yale Fellow". Los Angeles Times. p. B6.
- ^ MacGregor, Geddes (1963). The hemlock and the cross: humanism, Socrates, and Christ. Philadelphia: Lippincott. OCLC 1021301854.