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William Sanday

1843 – 1920

British theologian and biblical scholar

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About William Sanday

Lived 1843 – 1920 (aged 77). William Sanday was a British theologian.

William Sanday (1 August 1843 – 16 September 1920) was a British Anglican theologian and priest. He was the Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture from 1883 to 1895 and the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity from 1895 to 1919; both chairs were at the University of Oxford. He had previously been Master of Bishop Hatfield's Hall, University of Durham.

Biography Sanday was born in Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire, England, to William Sanday and Elizabeth Mann. He was a British academic theologian and biblical scholar. He was ordained as a deacon in 1867 and as a priest in 1869. In 1877 he married Marian Hastings, daughter of Woodman Hastings.

He was Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis of Holy Scripture at Oxford between 1883 and 1895, as well as Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity and Canon of Christ Church between 1895 and 1919. He became a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1903 (one of the original cohort), and received an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) degree from the University of Cambridge in May 1902.

He also worked as one of the editors of the 1880 Variorum Bible, and contributed articles to the Encyclopaedia Biblica and The American Journal of Theology.

Sanday died on 16 September 1920 in Oxford.

Works

1906 2nd edition

1920 edition

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Employers
University of Oxford
Awards
Fellow of the British Academy
Also known as
W. Sanday

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Sanday's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Sanday?

British theologian and biblical scholar (1843–1920)

When was William Sanday born?

William Sanday was born on 1 August 1843 in Holme Pierrepont.

When did William Sanday die?

William Sanday died on 16 September 1920 in Oxford.

What was William Sanday's occupation?

William Sanday was a theologian.

What nationality was William Sanday?

William Sanday was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Sanday

· Wikidata: Q15813616

· DBpedia: William Sanday (theologian)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Sanday. https://biography.guide/william-sanday/

MLA: "William Sanday." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-sanday/.

Chicago: "William Sanday." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-sanday/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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