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William Hamilton (university principal)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by RevWilliamCollins (talk | contribs) at 07:09, 15 April 2020 (Prof Sir William Bt not his descendant). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Very Rev William Hamilton (1669–1732) was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian and minister of the Church of Scotland. He was professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh from 1709 to 1732 and also principal of the university from 1730 to 1732.

He began in 1694 as a minister of Cramond Kirk.[1] He was also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland on five occasions.

The elder Hamilton was an influential figure in the growth of “early moderatism”, and several of his students, including Wishart,[2] were prominent Rankenians.[3]

Family

His father was Gavin Hamilton of Airdrie.[4] His sons included the Very Rev Prof Robert Hamilton.[5]

Robert Hamilton, the economist, was a grandson.

Notes

  1. ^ PDF, where he is described as a transitional figure.
  2. ^ William Wishart (secundus). The Rankenian Club was founded 1717 by radical theology students in Edinburgh.
  3. ^ (PDF), p. 25
  4. ^ Marek, Miroslav. "Hamilton 14". Genealogy.EU.[self-published source][better source needed]
  5. ^ Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X.
Preceded by Principals of Edinburgh University
1730–1732
Succeeded by