Samuel parker biography

This article is about Samuel Parker (disambiguation)|Samuel Parker. For other uses, see Samuel Parker (bishop of Oxford) (disambiguation).

Samuel Parker (1640 – 21 March 1688) was an English churchman, of strong Erastian views and a fierce opponent of Dissenters.

His political position is often compared with that of Thomas Hobbes, but there are also clear differences; he was also called in his time a Latitudinarian, but this is not something on which modern scholars are agreed.

Ely samuel parker biography

During the reign of King James II he served as Bishop of Oxford, and was considered by James to be a moderate in his attitude to Catholics.

Early life and career

He was born at Northampton, England in 1640, the second son of John Parker the judge and Baron of the Exchequer.

After studying at Northampton Grammar School, he entered Wadham College, Oxford, 30 September 1656, and matriculated at the Michaelmas term 1657. At Wadham he lived an intense presbyter