PALMER, WILLIAM. - Anglican theologian, later a convert, b. in Dublin on 14 Feb. 1803, d. in London in 1885. A graduate of Trinity College, he received holy orders in Dublin in 1829. From 1828 to 1831 he was at Magdalen College, Oxford, and from 1831 to 1846 at Worcester College. Some studies on the origins of the liturgy soon brought him into contact with the leading figures of the Oxford movement (Newman, Keble, Froude).

Although he was a very active member of this movement, he nevertheless harbored strong prejudices against Rome, as appears from A Letter to N. Wiseman (2 vols., Oxford 1841), as well as from his attacks on the Papacy, published under the title Results of the Expostulation of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone in their relation to the Unity of Roman Catholicism (London 1875) under the pseudonym of Umbra Oxoniensis.

He was considered by Fr. G. Perrone himself to be one of the most distinguished theologians of Oxford. This esteem is founded on his numerous works, among which mention must be made of: Remarks on Dr. Arnold's Principles of Church Reform (Oxford 1833); The Apostolical jurisdiction and succession of the episcopy in the British Churches (London 1840); The Book of Church history (ibid. 1841); An Enquiry into the Possibility of obtaining means for Church extension, without parliamentary grants (ibid. 1841); A renewed enquiry... with especial reference to an increase in the episcopate (ibid. 1848). His conversion to Catholicism dates from 28 Feb. 1855, after which time he devoted himself to archaeological research and published: An Introduction to early Christian Symbolism (ibid. 1859); Egyptian Chronology (ibid. 1861), etc.

Bibliography4 works

BIBL.: W. Palmer, Narrative of Events, London and Oxford 1843; J. B. Mozley, Reminiscences chiefly of Oriel College and the Oxford Movement (1833-45), London 1865, passim: J. H. Newman, Essays critical and historical, 2 vols., ibid. 1872 (cf. I, pp. 143-85; II, pp. 454-55); R. W. Church, The Oxford Movement, Twelve years, 1833-45, ibid. 1891, passim: G. H. Knott, The Trial of W. P., Edinburgh and London 1912.

Giacomo de Bivort de la Saudée

@incollection{ec9_palmer_william, author = {De, Bivort de la Saudée Giacomo}, title = {Palmer, william}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {IX}, pages = {657--658}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/palmer-william} }

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Palmer, William

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