Caird, John

CAIRD, JOHN: Church of Scotland: b. at Greenock (23 m. w.n.w. of Glasgow), Renfrewshire, Dec. 15, 1820; d. there July 30, 1898. He was educated at the University of Glasgow (1837–1838, 1840–45; M.A., 1845), interrupting his studies in 1838–39 while engaged in his father's engineering works. After the completion of his education he was minister successively at Newton-on-Ayr (1845–1847), Lady Yester's, Edinburgh (1847–49), Errol, Perthshire (1849–57), and the Park Church, Glasgow (1857–62). In 1862 he was appointed professor of theology in the University of Glasgow, where he became principal and vice-chancellor in 1873, retaining both positions until his death, although he announced his intention of resigning early in 1898. He was Croall Lecturer at Edinburgh in 1878–79 and Gifford Lecturer at Glasgow in 1890–91 and 1896, though a stroke of paralysis forced him to discontinue this second course. He wrote: Sermons (Edinburgh, 1858); Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Croall lectures for 1878–79; Glasgow, 1880); Spinoza (Edinburgh, 1886); and the posthumous University Addresses (Glasgow, 1898): University Sermons (1898); and The Fundamental Ideas of Christianity (Gifford lectures; 2 vols., 1899; ed., with a memoir of the author, by E. Caird).

Bibliography: E. Caird, memoir prefixed to his edition of The Fundamental Ideas of Christianity, 2 vols., Glasgow, 1899; DNB, supplement, i. 368–369.