author
John Henry Blunt
1823–1884
An Anglican clergyman and church historian, he brought scholarship and practical church knowledge together in books that helped Victorian readers navigate theology, worship, and the history of the English Church.
1 Audiobook
A Key to the Knowledge of Church History (Ancient)
by John Henry Blunt
About the author
Born in Chelsea on August 25, 1823, he spent his early working years in the business of a manufacturing chemist before changing course and entering University College, Durham, in 1850 to prepare for holy orders. He was ordained deacon in 1852, became a priest in 1855, and earned his M.A. from Durham that same year.
Blunt went on to build a reputation as an ecclesiastical historian and theological writer. His books focused on Anglican belief, liturgy, and church history, and he is especially associated with works such as The Atonement and The Annotated Book of Common Prayer. Contemporary reference works also describe him as a prolific author whose writing aimed to make complex religious history and doctrine more usable for clergy and serious readers.
He later held several church appointments, including the vicarage of Kennington near Oxford and the crown living of Beverston in Gloucestershire. He died in London on April 11, 1884.