# David Efird
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{{Short description|American philosopher and Anglican priest (1974–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox academic
| honorific_prefix = [The Reverend](/source/The_Reverend)
| name = David Efird
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| birth_name = David Hampton Efird
| birth_date = {{birth date|1974|05|18}}
| birth_place = [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina), US
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|01|09|1974|05|18|df=yes}}
| death_place = [York](/source/York), [England](/source/England) United Kingdom
| death_cause =
| region =
| period =
| occupation = Philosopher, academic and clergyman
| title = [Senior lecturer](/source/Senior_lecturer) in Philosophy
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| discipline = [Philosophy](/source/Philosophy)
| sub_discipline = [Philosophy of religion](/source/Philosophy_of_religion)
[Philosophy of language](/source/Philosophy_of_language)
[Metaphysics](/source/Metaphysics)
[Social epistemology](/source/Social_epistemology)
[Theological ethics](/source/Theological_ethics)
[Philosophical theology](/source/Philosophical_theology)
| movement =
| education =
| alma_mater = [Duke University](/source/Duke_University)
[Princeton Theological Seminary](/source/Princeton_Theological_Seminary)
[University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh)
[University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford)
| thesis_title = ''[https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:07f9f21b-9781-4370-a773-8a44c505196e Unfenced existence]'' (2002)
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| doctoral_advisor = [Timothy Williamson](/source/Timothy_Williamson)
| doctoral_students =
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| workplaces = [University of York](/source/University_of_York)
[Vanbrugh College, York](/source/Vanbrugh_College%2C_York)
[James College, York](/source/James_College%2C_York)
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}}
'''David Hampton Efird''' (May 18, 1974 – January 9, 2020) was an American [philosopher](/source/philosopher) and [Anglican](/source/Anglican) [priest](/source/Priest). As an academic, he specialised in the [philosophy of language](/source/philosophy_of_language) and the [philosophy of religion](/source/philosophy_of_religion).
Efird worked at the [University of York](/source/University_of_York) from 2002. He was a [lecturer](/source/lecturer) between 2002 and 2007, and was a [senior lecturer](/source/senior_lecturer) from 2007 until his death. He was [head](/source/Head_of_college) of two of [York's colleges](/source/Colleges_of_the_University_of_York): [Provost](/source/Provost_(education)) of [Vanbrugh College, York](/source/Vanbrugh_College%2C_York) from 2008 to 2013, and [Principal](/source/Principal_(academia)) of [James College, York](/source/James_College%2C_York) from 2013 to 2020.
Efird was a [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) priest. He was ordained a [deacon](/source/Deacon) in 2010 and to the priesthood in 2011. He was a [Minor Canon](/source/Minor_Canon) of [York Minster](/source/York_Minster), where he served his curacy. He later served as an [assistant curate](/source/assistant_curate) of the Parish of [St. Mary Bishophill](/source/St_Mary_Bishophill_Junior%2C_York), an [Anglo-Catholic](/source/Anglo-Catholic) parish in the City of York.
Efird died suddenly on January 9, 2020, in York, United Kingdom, aged 45.[{{cite web |title = David Hampton Efird Obituary | url = https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/david-efird-obituary?pid=195041902 |website = Legacy.com |accessdate = January 16, 2020}}]
==Early life and education==
Efird was born on May 18, 1974, in [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina), United States.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} He studied at [Duke University](/source/Duke_University) and graduated with a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) (AB) degree in 1995. He then studied [theology](/source/theology) at [Princeton Theological Seminary](/source/Princeton_Theological_Seminary), a [seminary](/source/seminary) associated with the [Presbyterian Church (USA)](/source/Presbyterian_Church_(USA)), and graduated with a [Master of Divinity](/source/Master_of_Divinity) (M.Div.) degree in 1998.[{{Crockford| surname = Efird | forenames = David Hampton | id = 22908 | accessed = 1 February 2016}}] Having moved to the United Kingdom, he studied at the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh) and graduated with a [Master of Science](/source/Master_of_Science) (MSc) degree in 1999.[{{cite web|title=David Efird|url=https://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/about/staff/david-efird/#profile|website=Department of Philosophy|publisher=University of York|accessdate=1 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119043911/http://www.york.ac.uk/philosophy/about/staff/david-efird/#profile|archive-date=19 November 2015|url-status=dead}}] He then undertook [postgraduate research](/source/postgraduate_research) at the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) under the [supervision](/source/Doctoral_supervisor) of Professor [Timothy Williamson](/source/Timothy_Williamson).[{{cite web|last1=Efird|first1=David|title=Unfenced existence|url=http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:07f9f21b-9781-4370-a773-8a44c505196e|website=Oxford University Research Archive|publisher=University of Oxford|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=2002}}][{{cite web |title=Unfenced existence: the logic and metaphysics of necessary beings |url=https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.396159 |website=E-Thesis Online Service |publisher=The British Library Board |accessdate=29 September 2018 |date=2002}}]
==Career==
===Academic career===
In 2002, Efird joined the [University of York](/source/University_of_York) (in [York](/source/York), [England](/source/England)) as a [lecturer](/source/lecturer) in [philosophy](/source/philosophy). He was promoted to [senior lecturer](/source/senior_lecturer) in 2007.[{{cite web|title=Rev'd Dr David Efird|url=http://www.york.ac.uk/colleges/vanbrugh/about/history/davidefird/|website=Vanbrugh College|publisher=University of York|accessdate=1 February 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320153550/http://www.york.ac.uk/colleges/vanbrugh/about/history/davidefird/|archivedate=20 March 2016}}] From 2013 to 2017, he was [Principal](/source/Principal_(academia)) of [James College, York](/source/James_College%2C_York).[{{cite web |title=David Effird |url=http://www.york.ac.uk/colleges/james/about/staff/principal/ |website=James College |publisher=University of York |accessdate=1 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031214054/http://www.york.ac.uk/colleges/james/about/staff/principal/ |archivedate=31 October 2013 }}]
Efird served as an assistant editor of the [journal](/source/Academic_journal) ''[Mind](/source/Mind_(journal))''.[{{cite web|title=Sixteen Made Priests in York Minster|url=http://www.archbishopofyork.org/articles.php/2077/sixteen-made-priests-in-york-minster|website=Archbishop of York|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=16 June 2011}}][{{cite web|title=Sixteen Made Priests in York Minster|url=http://dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/sixteen-made-priests-in-york-minster/|website=Diocese of York|publisher=Church of England|accessdate=1 February 2016|date=20 June 2011}}] From 2010 to 2013, he served his [curacy](/source/curacy) at York Minster where he was also ''Vicarius Canonicorum'' (a type of [Minor Canon](/source/Minor_Canon)).