author
Shepherd Knapp
1873–1946
A New York-born minister, hymn writer, and man of letters, he brought together church life, historical curiosity, and a storyteller’s touch. His work ranged from sermons and hymns to family history and retellings of the Bible.
3 Audiobooks
Up the Chimney
by Shepherd Knapp
Down the Chimney
by Shepherd Knapp
The Christmas Dinner
by Shepherd Knapp
About the author
Born in New York City on September 8, 1873, Shepherd Knapp studied at Columbia College, graduating in 1894, and then at Yale, where he earned his divinity degree in 1897. He went on to serve as a Congregational and later Presbyterian minister, including years in Southington, Connecticut, New York City, and Worcester, Massachusetts.
Knapp was more than a pastor. He also wrote hymns, poetry, short plays, and historical pieces, and he became known for literary and religious work alongside his ministry. Accounts of his later life note that he published On the Edge of the Storm, a volume of First World War reminiscences, and spent his retirement working on The Liberated Bible, retelling stories from the Old Testament in a more approachable way.
He died in Worcester on January 11, 1946. What makes his work interesting now is the mix of scholarship, pastoral warmth, and plainspoken storytelling that runs through it.