22 Facts About Wilfred Knox

Wilfred Lawrence Knox was an English Anglican priest and theologian, one of four brothers who distinguished themselves.

Wilfred Knox approached his New Testament studies as a Hellenist, and wrote several books on Paul the Apostle and other aspects of ecclesiastical history from that angle.

Wilfred Knox wrote books explaining Anglo-Catholicism and the Christian way of life.

Wilfred Knox was born 21 May 1886 at Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicestershire, a village in the English Midlands.

Wilfred Knox was the third son and fourth of the six children of Edmund Knox, the rector of Kibworth, and his first wife, Ellen Penelope, nee French.

The other sons were Edmund, Dillwyn and Ronald; his sisters were Ethel Wilfred Knox and Winifred Peck.

In 1891, when Wilfred Knox was five, the family moved to the parish of Aston-juxta-Birmingham, a poor area of Birmingham.

Wilfred Knox was persuaded that the boys should attend public schools.

From Rugby, Wilfred Knox won a scholarship to Trinity College, Oxford.

Wilfred Knox suffered a crisis in his religious faith while there, and threw himself into study.

Wilfred Knox was placed in the first class in classical moderations and in literae humaniores.

Bishop Wilfred Knox was distressed by his son's doctrinal views, but in full support of his work among the poor in the East End of London.

Wilfred Knox's mentors and role models were Temple and George Lansbury, the latter a future leader of the Labour Party, who was a prominent figure in the East End.

Wilfred Knox studied theology at St Anselm's College, Cambridge, and was ordained deacon in 1914, and priest the following year, serving as assistant curate at St Mary's, Graham Street, London.

In 1920 Wilfred Knox moved to Cambridge as a member of the Oratory of the Good Shepherd until 1922.

Wilfred Knox then spent two years in parish work at St Saviour's, Hoxton, in east London as assistant priest.

Wilfred Knox's younger brother Ronald, having left the Church of England and joined the Roman Catholic Church, was an influential priest and writer.

Wilfred Knox approached biblical studies from the standpoint of a classical scholar.

Wilfred Knox examined how Greek culture influenced not only the language but the thinking of the writers of the New Testament.

Wilfred Knox frequently contributed to The Journal of Theological Studies.

Wilfred Knox died 9 February 1950 in Cambridge at the age of 63.

Wilfred Knox sacrificed his own interests and inclinations on [the Oratory's] behalf with a wonderful steadfastness.