The Hulsean Lectures were established from an endowment made by John Hulse to the University of Cambridge in 1790.The will of John Hulse (dated 21 July 1777) is printed in Cambridge 1857, 260–310. At present, they consist of a series of four to eight lectures given by a university graduate on some branch of Christian theology.
History The lectures were originally to be given by a "learned and ingenious clergyman" from Cambridge, holding the degree of Master of Arts, who was under the age of forty years. The terms for the lectures were quite extensive and particular. The lecturer was
As a result of these rather demanding terms and conditions, for some thirty years (1790–1819) no person could be found who would undertake the office of this lectureship. The first to accept was Christopher Benson, who held the post until 1822, at which time he quit, having found the terms and conditions imposed by the lectureship too fatiguing and laborious. For the rest of the decade, only two more lecturers were found, and both in their turn resigned for the same reasons. Finally, in 1830, after the post had remained vacant for three years, the Court of Chancery reduced the number of lectures to be given in a year to eight and extended the deadline for publishing the lectures to one year following the delivery of the last lecture.Cambridge 1857, 310-12. In 1860 the number of lectures was further reduced to a minimum of four. Also changed at this time was the length of appointment to one year, with the possibility of reappointment after an interval of five years; the lecturer need not be a clergyman, but simply have some higher degree from Cambridge and be at least thirty years of age; and the necessity of printing or publishing the lectures was done away with.Cambridge 1896, 90. The topic was somewhat simplified to something that would show the evidence for Revealed Religion, or to explain some of the most difficult texts or obscure parts of Holy Scripture.Tanner 1917, 160. Finally, by 1952 the topic was changed to its present wording, "on some branch of Christian Theology", and the office of the lectureship was extended to two years.Cambridge 1952, 51.
The following list of lectures has been compiled from a number of different sources.The most complete list of lectures is found in Stephenson 1979, 288–304; cf. Hurst 1896, 32-34; Hunt 1896, 332-38; The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, s.v. "Hulse, John."
Lecturers 1820–1850 1820 – Christopher Benson, Hulsean lectures for 1820: Twenty discourses preached before the University of Cambridge in the year 1820, at the lecture founded by the Rev. John Hulse 1821 – James Clarke Franks, On the evidences of Christianity, as they were stated and enforced in the discourses of our Lord: comprising a connected view of the claims which Jesus advanced, of the arguments by which he supported them, and of his statements respecting the causes, progress, and consequences of infidelity 1822 – Christopher Benson, On Scripture Difficulties 1823 – James Clarke Franks, On the apostolical preaching and vindication of the gospel to the Jews, Samaritans, and devout Gentiles: as exhibited in the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of St. Peter, and the Epistle to the Hebrews 1824 – No appointment 1825 – No appointment 1826 – Temple Chevallier, On the historical types contained in the Old Testament 1827 – Temple Chevallier, On the proofs of divine power and wisdom: derived from the study of astronomy; and on the evidence, doctrines, and precepts of revealed religion 1828 – No appointment 1829 – No appointment 1830 – No appointment 1831 – John James Blunt, The veracity of the historical books of the Old Testament: from the conclusion of the Pentateuch, to the opening of the prophets, argued from the undesigned coincidences to be found in them, when compared in their several parts: being a continuation of the argument for the veracity of the five books of Moses 1832 – John James Blunt, Principles for the proper understanding of the Mosaic writings stated and applied: together with an incidental argument for the truth of the resurrection of our Lord 1833 – Henry John Rose, The Law of Moses viewed in connexion with the History and Character of the Jews: with a defence of the book of Joshua against professor Leo of Berlin 1834 – No appointment 1835 – Henry Howarth, The truth and obligation of revealed religion, considered with reference to prevailing opinions 1836 – Henry Howarth, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God 1837 – Richard Parkinson, Rationalism and Revelation: or, The testimony of moral philosophy, the system of nature, and the constitution of man, to the truth of the doctrines of Scripture 1838 – Richard Parkinson, The constitution of the visible church of Christ : considered, under the heads of authority and inspiration of scripture; creeds, tradition; articles of religion; heresy and schism; state-alliance, preaching, and national education 1839 – Theyre Townsend Smith, Man's responsibility in reference to his religious belief 1840 – Theyre Townsend Smith, The Christian religion in connexion with the principles of morality 1841 – Henry Alford, The consistency of the Divine conduct in revealing of the doctrines of redemption 1842 – Henry Alford, The consistency of the Divine conduct in revealing of the doctrines of redemption: part the second 1843 – John Howard Marsden, An examination of certain passages in our Lord's conversation with Nicodemus 1844 – John Howard Marsden, The evils which have resulted at various times from a misapprehension of our Lord's miracles 1845 – Richard Chenevix Trench, The fitness of Holy Scripture for unfolding the spiritual life of men 1846 – Richard Chenevix Trench, Christ the Desire of all Nations: or, The unconscious prophecies of heathendom 1847 – Christopher Wordsworth, On the Canon of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and on the Apocrypha 1848 – Christopher Wordsworth, Lectures on the Apocalypse: critical, expository, and practicalMissing in Stephenson 1984, 291; cf. Hurst 1896, 33. 1849 – William Gilson Humphry, The Doctrine of a Future State 1850 – William Gilson Humphry, The Early Progress of the Gospel
1851–1875 1851 – George Currey, The preparation of the gospel as exhibited in the history of the Israelites 1852 – George Currey, The confirmation of faith by reason and authority 1853 – Benjamin Morgan Cowie, Scripture difficulties: four sermons preached before the University of Cambridge, in April, 1853, at the lecture founded by the Rev. John Hulse 1854 – Benjamin Morgan Cowie, Scripture difficulties: sermons preached before the University of Cambridge, including the Hulsean lectures for 1854 1855 – Harvey Goodwin, The Doctrines and Difficulties of the Christian Faith contemplated from the standing ground afforded by the Catholic doctrine of the being of our Lord Jesus Christ 1856 – Harvey Goodwin, The Glory of the Only Begotten of the Father seen in the manhood of ChristMissing in Stephenson 1984, 292; cf. Hurst 1896, 33. 1857 – Charles Anthony Swainson, The Creeds of the Church, in their relations to the word of God and to the conscience of the Christian 1858 – Charles Anthony Swainson, The Authority of the New Testament, the Conviction of Righteousness, and the Ministry of Reconciliation 1859 – Charles John Ellicott, Historical Lectures on the Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ 1860 – John Lamb, The Seven Words spoken against the Lord Jesus: or an investigation of the motives which led his contemporaries to reject him 1861 – Charles Merivale, not published 1862 – John Saul Howson, The Character of St. Paul 1863 – Francis Morse, not published 1864 – Daniel Moore, The Age and the Gospel 1865 – James Moorhouse, Our Lord Jesus Christ the Subject of Growth in Wisdom 1866 – Edward Henry Perowne, The Godhead of Jesus 1867 – Charles Pritchard, Analogies in the Progress of Nature and Grace 1868 – John James Stewart Perowne, Immortality 1869 – John Venn, On Some of the Characteristics of Belief: Scientific and Religious 1870 – Frederic William Farrar, The Witness of History to Christ 1871 – Fenton John Anthony Hort, The Way The Truth The Life 1872 – Josiah Brown Pearson, not published 1873 – Stanley Leathes, The Gospel its own Witness 1874 – George Martin Straffen, Sin, as set forth in Holy Scripture 1875 – Edward Thomas Vaughan Some Reasons of our Christian Hope
1876–1900 1876 – Edwin Abbott Abbott, Through Nature to Christ: or, The Ascent of Worship Through Illusion to the TruthMissing in Stephenson 1984, 294; cf. Encyclopædia Britannica, Supplement, 9th ed., s.v. "Abbott, Edwin Abbott". 1877 – George Smith Drew, The Human Life of Christ: Revealing the Order of the Universe 1878 – William Boyd Carpenter, The Witness of the Heart to Christ 1879 – Vincent Henry Stanton, The Jewish and the Christian Messiah: a study in the earliest history of ChristianityMissing in Stephenson 1984, 295; cf. Stanton, preface, vii. Two lectures were published as delivered; see Cambridge Review 1/8 (1879): i-iii.; 1/9 (1879): i-iii. 1880 – Thomas Thomason Perowne, "The Intercession of Christ, or our Lord's present work in Heaven as High Priest of His Church, as it is revealed in Holy Scripture, and in its bearing on the worship of the Church on earth" (not published)Missing in Stephenson 1984, 295; cf. Cambridge Review 2/36 (1881): 151. 1881 – Joseph Foxley, Secularism, Scepticism, Ritualism, LiberationismTwo lectures were published as delivered; see Cambridge Review 3/57 (1881): xxix-xxxi.; 3/58 (1881): xxxiii-xxxvi. 1882 – Frederick Watson, The Law and the Prophets 1883 – John James Lias, The Atonement Viewed in the Light of Certain Modern Difficulties 1884 – Thomas George Bonney, The Influence of Science on Theology 1885 – William Cunningham, S. Austin and his Place in the History of Christian Thought 1886 – John de Soyres, Christian Reunion 1887 – Joseph Hirst Lupton, "Misrepresentations of Christianity," not publishedMissing in Stephenson 1984, 296; cf. Cambridge Review 9/210 (1887): 49. 1888 – Henry Major Stephenson, Christ the Life of Men 1889 – Edward George King, The "Asaph" Psalms in their Connexion with the Early Religion of Babylonia 1890 – John Llewelyn Davies, Order and Growth: as involved in the spiritual constitution of human society 1891 – Arthur Temple Lyttelton, The Place of Miracles in Religion 1892 – John Bickford Heard, Alexandrian and Carthaginian Theology Contrasted 1893 – Mandell Creighton, Persecution and Tolerance 1894 – Alfred Barry, The Ecclesiastical Expansion of England in the growth of the Anglican Communion 1895 – William Moore Ede, The Attitude of the Church to some of the Social Problems of Town Life 1896 – Samuel Cheetham, The Mysteries, Pagan and Christian 1897 – James Edward Cowell Welldon, The Hope of Immortality 1898 – James Wilson, The Gospel of the Atonement 1899 – Arthur James Mason, Purgatory; The State of the Faithful Departed; Invocation of SaintsMissing in Stephenson 1984, 297; cf. The Month 99 (1902): 106-8. 1900 – Fredrick Henry Chase The Credibility of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
1901–1925 1901 – Frederick Robert Tennant, The Origin and Propagation of sin 1902 – F. J. Foakes Jackson, Christian Difficulties in the Second and Twentieth Centuries: A Study of Marcion and his Relation to Modern Thought 1903 – William Allen Whitworth, Christian thought on present-day questionsMissing in Stephenson 1984, 298; cf. Cambridge Review 25/619 (1903): 94; The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, s.v. "Hulse, John." 1904 – Charles William Stubbs, The Christ of English Poetry 1905 – Henry Joseph Corbett Knight, The Temptation of Our Lord: Considered as related to the ministry and as a revelation of his person 1906 – James Pounder Whitney, The Episcopate and the Reformation: Our Outlook