# Alexander Geddes > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Geddes > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Geddes.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Geddes > Source revision: 1324368962 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{for|the Scottish communist activist|Alec Geddes}} {{for|the meteorologist|Alexander Geddes (meteorologist)}} {{Short description|Scottish theologian and translator 1737–1802}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}} {{Use British English|date=December 2017}} thumb|upright=1.3|The grave of Rev Alexander Geddes, St Marys Paddington '''Alexander Geddes''' (14 September 1737 – 26 February 1802) was a [Scottish Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church_in_Scotland) theologian and scholar.According to ''The Cambridge History of Eighteenth-Century Philosophy'', Geddes "was one of the great literary and biblical scholars of his day." (Cambridge University Press, 2006, p. 704.) He translated a major part of the [Old Testament](/source/Old_Testament) of the [Catholic Bible](/source/Catholic_Bible) into English. ==Translations and commentaries== Geddes was born at [Rathven](/source/Rathven), [Banffshire](/source/Banffshire), of [Catholic](/source/Catholic_Church) parentage, and educated for the priesthood at the local seminary of [Scalan](/source/Scalan), and at [Paris](/source/Paris); he became a priest in his native county. His translation of the ''Satires'' of [Horace](/source/Horace) made him known as a scholar, but his [liberalism](/source/liberalism) led to his suspension. He then went to [London](/source/London), where he became known to [Baron Petre](/source/Robert_Petre%2C_9th_Baron_Petre), who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for [English Catholics](/source/Catholic_Church_in_England_and_Wales),{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Geddes, Alexander |volume=11 |page=547}} which he carried on as far as the Book of Second Chronicles and the Prayer of Manasseh which was published in 2 volumes (1792–1797). A translation of ''[Psalms](/source/Psalms)'' was published in 1807. Geddes was also a [poet](/source/poet), and wrote ''Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral'', ''Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente'' (1790), in praise of the [French Revolution](/source/French_Revolution).{{Citation needed|reason=The poem makes no mention of the French Revolution|date=July 2020}} He released his ''Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures'' in 1800, wherein he largely anticipated the German school of [higher criticism](/source/Historical_criticism).Cf. [Reginald C. Fuller](/source/Reginald_C._Fuller), ''Alexander Geddes: A Pioneer of Biblical Criticism, 1737–1802'', Toronto 1984, {{ISBN|0-907459-26-9}}). The result of this publication was Geddes's suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. Arguing for the mythic character of the [Pentateuch](/source/Torah), he cast doubt not on those books' veracity but their [historicity](/source/historicity), seeing in the [Fall](/source/Fall_of_man) for example "the mythic account of the painful condition of human life," rather than a historical chronicle.{{Cite book|last=Lehner|first=Ulrich L.|title=The Catholic enlightenment : the forgotten history of a global movement|date=2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-023291-7|location=New York, NY|pages=32|oclc=907446002}} He died without recanting his works of higher criticism, but received [absolution](/source/Absolution_(religious)) at the hands of a French priest, though public Mass for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers. He is buried next to the south-east corner of St. Mary's Church in Paddington, [London](/source/London). ==Publications== *The Holy Bible, or the Books accounted sacred by Jews and Christians, otherwise called the books of the Old and [New Covenant](/source/New_Covenant); faithfully translated from corrected texts of the originals. With various readings, explanatory notes, and critical remarks. By Alexander Geddes. (J. Davis, London. 1797). *[English translations of Homer](/source/English_translations_of_Homer) ==External links== *[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04491c.htm History of Biblical Criticism (Higher)] *{{Cite Catholic Encyclopedia |wstitle=Biblical Criticism|volume=4 |first=George Joseph |last=Reid)}} *[http://bibles.wikidot.com/geddes Geddes Bible Editions] *{{A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Geddes, Alexander}} Category:1737 births Category:1802 deaths Category:18th-century Scottish scholars Category:18th-century Scottish writers Category:18th-century Scottish male writers Category:People from Banffshire Category:18th-century Scottish Roman Catholic priests Category:Roman Catholic biblical scholars Category:18th-century Scottish translators Category:Scholars of Greek language Category:Scottish biblical scholars Category:Scottish classical scholars Category:Scottish poets Category:Scottish literary critics Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Category:Translators of Homer --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Geddes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Geddes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Geddes?action=history)). 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