Thomas Edwards (orientalist) facts for kids
Thomas Edwards (born 1652, died 1721) was a Welsh religious scholar and an expert in Eastern languages and cultures. He spent his life studying and writing, especially about ancient languages like Coptic.
Early Life and Education
Thomas Edwards was born in 1652 in a place called Llanllechid, which is near Bangor in Carnarvonshire, Wales.
He went to St John's College, Cambridge, a famous university. There, he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1673 and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1677.
Working with Scholars
Early in his career, Thomas Edwards lived and worked with Dr. Edmund Castell, another important scholar.
In 1685, Dr. John Fell, who was the head of Christ Church (a college at Oxford University) and also a bishop, asked Edwards for help. Dr. Fell was working on printing a New Testament in Coptic, an ancient Egyptian language. Dr. Thomas Marshall had almost finished this big project.
While helping with this important book, Thomas Edwards also became a chaplain at Christ Church. A chaplain is a priest or minister who serves a specific institution, like a college.
Later, in 1707, he became the rector of a church in Aldwinckle All Saints, Northamptonshire. A rector is the main priest of a parish. Thomas Edwards passed away in 1721.
His Writings and Studies
Thomas Edwards was very dedicated to his studies. He prepared a dictionary (called a lexicon) for the Coptic language that was ready to be printed. This shows his deep knowledge of ancient languages.
He also wrote and published some books on religious topics. These included:
- A Discourse against Extemporary Prayer (1703)
- Diocesan Episcopacy proved from Holy Scripture (1705)
