Michael Geddes facts for kids

Michael Geddes (around 1650–1713) was a Scottish clergyman and historian. He was part of the Church of England. He is known for his writings about different churches and their histories.

Who Was Michael Geddes?

Michael Geddes was born in Scotland around 1650. He studied at the University of Edinburgh. He earned his Master of Arts degree there in 1668. Later, he went to Oxford University in England. This was thanks to a special scholarship from Bishop John Warner. These scholars first stayed at Gloucester Hall. Then, in 1672, they moved to Balliol College.

His Time in Lisbon

In 1678, Geddes traveled to Lisbon, Portugal. He worked there as a chaplain for English merchants. A chaplain is a religious leader who serves a specific group. In 1686, a powerful religious court called the Inquisition told him to stop his work. Geddes argued that he had a special right to be there. This right was based on an old agreement between England and Portugal.

The English merchants quickly wrote to Henry Compton, the Bishop of London. They wanted to protect their rights. But before their letter arrived, Geddes was told to stop by a special group of church leaders. This group was set up by King James II. Things stayed difficult until the English ambassador, Charles Scarborough, arrived. Geddes finally returned to England in May 1688.

Later Life and Achievements

In 1691, Gilbert Burnet, who was the Bishop of Salisbury, gave Geddes an important church role. He became the chancellor of Salisbury Cathedral. In 1695, he received a special law degree (LL.D.) from Archbishop Thomas Tenison. Michael Geddes passed away in early 1713.

Michael Geddes's Books

Michael Geddes wrote several important books. Many of his works focused on church history and different Christian groups.

• The History of the Church of Malabar (1694): This book tells the story of a Christian church in India. It covers how the Portuguese found it in 1501. It also includes information about an important meeting called the Synod of Diamper in 1599.
• The Church-History of Ethiopia (1696): This book looks at the history of the church in Ethiopia. It talks about two big missions by Roman Catholic groups to that country.
• The Council of Trent no free Assembly (1697): This work argues that the Council of Trent was not a truly independent meeting. The Council of Trent was a very important meeting of the Catholic Church. Geddes used letters and papers from people who were there to show his point. These papers were given to him by Edward Stillingfleet, who asked Geddes to translate them.
• Miscellaneous Tracts (1702–1706): This was a collection of different writings by Geddes. It was published in three volumes.
• Several Tracts against Popery (1715): This book contains several essays that argue against certain Catholic beliefs. It also includes the life story of Don Alvaro de Luna.
• The most celebrated Popish Ecclesiastical Romance (1716): This book is about the life of Veronica of Milan. Geddes started translating it from Portuguese, and another person finished it after he died.