Robert Rollock

Robert Rollock (c. 15558 or 9 February 1599) was a Scottish theologian and minister in the Church of Scotland, and the first regent and first principal of the University of Edinburgh. Born into a landowning family, he distinguished himself during his education at the University of St Andrews, which led to him being appointed regent of the newly created college in Edinburgh in 1583, and its first principal in 1586.

After the college had grown and other regents had been appointed, Rollock no longer had to perform everyday teaching, and he became the university's first Professor of Theology. In parallel to his academic duties, he acted as a minister and served in various church functions until his death in 1599. Rollock was acknowledged by his contemporaries as a prolific academic and Biblical scholar, and effective principal.

Life

Early life and education Rollock was born in 1555, the son of David Rollock, laird of Powis, near Stirling, and his wife Mariota Livingston. He was one of at least eight children. He received his early education at the school of Stirling from Thomas Buchanan, a nephew of George Buchanan. Rollock then entered St Salvator's College at the University of St Andrews in 1574, obtaining his BA in 1576 and his MA likely in 1577. After graduating, he combined teaching at St Salvator's College with further studies in theology, Hebrew, and Biblical philology at St Mary's College (also in St Andrews) under the tutelage of James Melville. Over the next years, Rollock acquired a national reputation both as a teacher and due to the piety he reportedly instilled in his students. First known as Tounis College (Town's College), instruction was to begin in October 1583, but the Town Council was still searching for a regent in September of the same year. James Lawson, John Knox' successor as minister at St Giles' Kirk in Edinburgh, recommended Rollock for the position, and the town sent a delegation to St Andrews to offer the position to him. Rollock declared shortly before his death that his principal goal had been that church and state "should mutually assist each other, [...] and that no unnecessary war should be kindled".

In 1596, Rollock accepted one of the eight ministerial charges of the city of Edinburgh, and took charge of his congregation. His sympathy for the king's policies led to the royal party successfully lobbying for Rollock being chosen as moderator of the General Assembly held at Dundee in May 1597. In 1598 he became minister of the Upper Tolbooth—probably the west portion of St. Giles's Kirk—and on 18 April of the same year he was admitted to Magdalen Church, afterwards known as Greyfriars Kirk.

Death and legacy Rollock had repeatedly been in poor health throughout his life, and he was perhaps overworked; he died in Edinburgh on 8 February 1599, aged only 44. On his deathbed, Rollock stated that he wanted the university to remain chiefly a place of spiritual instruction, and that he was strongly opposed to the introduction of professors of law and medicine.

Works Rollock encouraged his students to apply Ramist logic and analysis to their readings of scripture, and he used the same approach in his published works. Rollock's principal works are: Commentarius in Epistolam ad Ephesios, Edinburgh, 1590; Geneva, 1593. Commentarius in Librum Danielis Prophetæ, Edinburgh, 1591; St. Andrews, 1594. Analysis Epistolæ ad Romanos, Edinburgh, 1594. Quæstiones et Responsiones aliquot de Fœdere Dei et de Sacramentis, Edinburgh, 1596. Tractatus de Efficaci Vocatione, Edinburgh, 1597. Commentarius in utramque Epistolam ad Thessalonicenses, et Analysis in Epistolam ad Philemonem, cum Notis Joan. Piscatoris, Edinburgh, 1598; Herborn, in Hesse-Nassau, 1601; translated under the title 'Lectures upon the First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians,' Edinburgh, 1606. Certaine Sermons upon several places of the Epistles of Paul, Edinburgh, 1599. Commentarius in Joannis Evangelium, una cum Harmonia ex iv Evangelistis in Mortem, Resurrectionem, et Ascensionem Dei, Geneva, 1599; Edinburgh, 1599. Commentarius in selectos aliquot Psalmos, Geneva, 1598, 1599; translated as 'An Exposition of some select Psalms of David,' Edinburgh, 1600. Commentarius in Epistolas ad Corinthios, Herborn, in Hesse-Nassau, 1600. Commentarius in Epistolam ad Colossenses, Edinburgh, 1600; Geneva, 1602. Analysis Logica in Epistolam ad Galatas, Edinburgh, 1602; Geneva, 1603. Tractatus brevis de Providentia Dei, et Tractatus de Excommunicatione, Geneva, 1602; London, 1604. A Treatise of Gods Effectual Calling, translated by H. Holland, London, 1603. Commentarius in Epistolam ad Hebræos, Edinburgh, 1605. Lectures upon the History of the Passion, Edinburgh, 1616. Episcopal Government instituted by Christ, and confirmed by Scripture and Reason, London, 1641. Soon after his death eleven sermons (Certaine Sermons upon Several Places of the Epistles of Paul, 1599) were published from notes taken by his students. Selected Works of Rollock, edited by William Gunn, D.D., with the Latin life by Charteris, and notes to it, was printed by the Wodrow Society, Edinburgh, 1844–49.