Thomas Sharp (priest) facts for kids
Thomas Sharp (1693–1758) was an important English church leader. He was known for writing books about religious topics and for writing life stories of people. From 1723, he held the position of archdeacon of Northumberland.
Thomas Sharp's Life Story
Thomas Sharp was born on December 12, 1693. He was a younger son of John Sharp, who was the archbishop of York.
When he was 15, Thomas went to Trinity College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1712 and a master's degree in 1716. He was also chosen to be a fellow at the college.
Sharp became a chaplain (a religious advisor) to Archbishop William Dawes. He also became a prebendary (a type of church official) at Southwell Minster. He was part of a group called the Gentlemen's Society at Spalding.
In 1719, he became a prebendary at York Minster. In 1720, he was made the rector (head priest) of Rothbury, Northumberland. On February 27, 1723, he became the archdeacon of Northumberland. He earned his Doctor of Divinity degree from Cambridge in 1729.
Later, in 1732, he was given another important role at Durham Cathedral. In 1755, he took over from Thomas Mangey as an official for the dean and chapter of the cathedral.
Thomas Sharp passed away in Durham on March 16, 1758. He was buried in a chapel at the west end of the cathedral.
What Thomas Sharp Wrote About
Thomas Sharp wrote several books and papers on religious and historical topics. Some of his main writings included:
- He wrote to defend Bishop Jeremy Taylor from misunderstandings in 1733.
- He explored whether it was lawful to eat blood in a book published in 1733. He also wrote a defense of this idea in 1734.
- He shared his thoughts on starting a "Protestant Convent" in 1737.
- He wrote about the meaning of ancient Hebrew words in 1751. This work led to discussions with other writers like John Hutchinson.
- He wrote about the rules for church services and clergy in 1753. This book was reprinted many times.
- He discussed the history of the Hebrew language in 1755.
- He examined Mr. Hutchinson's ideas about "Cherubim" in 1755.
- After he died, a collection of his sermons (religious speeches) was published in 1763.
- His advice on how to give good sermons was also published.
- He wrote a detailed life story of his father, Archbishop John Sharp, which was published in 1825.
A collection of all his Works was published in 1763. He also had letters published in 1743 that he exchanged with Mrs. Catherine Cockburn about moral values.
Thomas Sharp's Family
On June 19, 1722, Thomas Sharp married Judith Wheler. She was the daughter of Sir George Wheler. Judith passed away in 1757. They had 14 children together.
Their oldest son, John Sharp, also became a prebendary of Durham and an archdeacon of Northumberland. He passed away in 1792. Two of their other sons became well-known:
- Granville Sharp was an important figure in the movement to end slavery (an abolitionist).
- William Sharp became a famous surgeon.
