Not to be confused with 4

SPACE did not allow us to mention last time John Davenport (1597-1670) and James Davenport (1716-1757). Both were from New England. The first was co-founder and first minister of the New Haven Colony. He was invited to attend the Westminster Assembly but declined. The latter was influenced by George Whitefield’s preaching but then fell into some wild excesses. He was eventually reclaimed.

Eusebius is a name shared by two men in early church history. The more well known of the two was Eusebius Pamphili or Eusebius of Caesarea (c263-c339). Educated in Caesarea and Antioch he left Palestine following the martyrdom of his friend Pamphilius about 310, but later returned and became Bishop of Caesarea. A friend of the Emperor Constantine, he tended to be sympathetic to Arianism much of the time but came out on the right side at Nicaea. He is remembered as ‘The Father of Church History’ as he wrote an ecclesiastical history covering the period up to 325 AD as well as other works. His contemporary Eusebius of Nicomedia was an Arian bishop. Though exiled at one point by Constantine he baptised the dying Emperor in 337 and was latterly Patriach of Constantinople.

When we come to Reformation history it is worth remembering that Luther was examined by two different men with the name John or Johann Eck. Johann Maier Eck of Ingolstadt in Bavaria was a professor of theology there. He famously debated with Carlstadt and Luther at Leipzig in 1519. He also later disputed with Zwingli, Melanchthon and Bucer. He translated the New Testament into German in 1537. It was before Johann Eck of Trier, at the Diet of Worms, however, that Luther made that famous statement ‘… my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.’ Also, ‘Here I stand. I can do no other.’

Two excellent men of more recent times worth distinguishing are Joseph Samuel Exell (1849-c 1909) and Edwin Othello Excell (1851-1921). The former was an Anglican minister in the west country who compiled The Biblical Illustrator covering nearly all the books of the Bible. He also worked with H D M Spence on The Pulpit Commentary, The Homiletic Library and (also with C Neil) the 6 volume Thirty Thousand Thoughts. Excell was an American Methodist, a musical director associated with gospel singer Samuel Porter Jones and, later, evangelist Gipsy Smith. He composed the tune to Count your blessings.

The name Eerdman is well known as the imprint of a large Christian printing house based in Grand Rapids. The name is that of the founder (in 1911), William B Eerdmans. Charles R Erdman (1866-1960), with just one ‘E’, was Professor of Practical Theology at Princeton from 1905 and authored several books.

It is perhaps worth noting too that the great Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) had a son with the same name who lived 1745-1801. The son was also a pastor and theologian and modified his father's theology to some extent.

No-one is likely to confuse Baptist John Fawcett (1740-1817) author of ‘Blest be the tie‘ and Anglican Andrew R Fausset (1821-1910), collaborator with Jamieson and Brown on a six volume Bible commentary. He authored volumes 3,  4 and 6. The late Arthur Fawcett wrote an account of The Cambuslang Revival published by Banner of Truth.

There are several in church history who have borne the name Fuller and that leaves room for confusion. The Royalist Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) is another church historian. Andrew Fuller (1745-1815) was a Baptist minister, first in Soham in Cambridgeshire and then in Kettering, Northamptonshire. He was one of those who ‘held the ropes’ for William Carey as he descended into the darkness of Indian paganism. Richard Fuller (1804-1876) was another Baptist, this time on the other side of the Atlantic. He defended slavery against Francis Wayland, president of Brown University. He first mooted what became Southern Baptist Seminary. Fuller Seminary, however, takes its name from the radio evangelist Charles E Fuller (1887-1968), who helped finance its establishment in 1947. His son Daniel Fuller was also involved in the seminary.

Two theologians who must have been bonny babies are Scotsmen Patrick Fairbairn (1805-1874) and Andrew Martin Fairbairn (1838-1912). Patrick was a founding member of the Free Church and became professor of divinity in Aberdeen. His works on typology and prophecy are still in print today. ‘A M’ was a Congregationalist who came south to teach in England and was a of a less conservative bent. His 1880 Studies in the life of Christ is still seen today.

This article (now slightly modified) appeared first in The Evangelical Library Bulletin