Pierre François le Courayer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierre Courayer
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| Born | 17 November 1681 |
| Died | 17 October 1776 (aged 94) |
| Burial place | London, England, United Kingdom |
Pierre François le Courayer (born November 17, 1681 – died October 17, 1776) was a French writer who studied religion. He was a Catholic priest who spent many years living in England.
Pierre Courayer's Life Story
Pierre François le Courayer was born in Rouen, a city in France. He worked as a priest and a librarian at a large church called the abbey of St Genevieve in Paris.
He often wrote letters to Archbishop William Wake about how church leaders (called bishops) were chosen in England. This helped him write a very important book in 1723. The book was called Dissertation on the validity of the Englishmen's ordinations and on the episcopal succession in the Anglican Church. In this book, he tried to show that the priests of the Church of England were properly appointed, just like priests had been for a long time.
The next year, he proudly put his name on the book. However, his ideas caused problems with other religious leaders. Some of his statements were even called wrong. He was told off by the archbishop of Paris, and then he was officially removed from the church by the abbot of Sainte-Geneviève.
Pierre le Courayer did not change his mind about his beliefs. But his ideas had gained him supporters in Great Britain. With help from a friend, he found safety in England. The University of Oxford even gave him a special university degree.
In 1732, he realized he could not make peace with his opponents in France. So, he decided to live permanently in London. He also received a special position as a priest in Oxford.
In 1736, he translated a book called History of the Council of Trent into French. He dedicated this book to Queen Caroline, who then gave him money every year. He also translated another history book and wrote several of his own books about religion.
In his will, which he wrote two years before he died, he said he was still a member of the Roman Catholic Church. However, he disagreed with some of its ideas. He died in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey, a famous church.
