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George Benson (1699–1762) was an English Presbyterian minister and theologian. According to Alexander Balloch Grosart, writing in the ''Dictionary of National Biography'', his views were "Socinian" though at this period the term is often confused with Arian. ==Life== He was born at Great Salkeld, Cumberland, on 1 September 1699. Towards the close of Elizabeth's reign Dr. Benson's great-grandfather, John Benson, left London and settled in Cumberland. This John Benson had thirteen sons, from the eldest of whom Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley descended. During the English Civil War the youngest of these sons, George Benson, Dr. Benson's grandfather, took the side of the parliament; he had the living of Bridekirk in his native county, and was ejected in 1662. His grandson George received a classical education and proceeded to an academy presided over by Thomas Dixon at Whitehaven. He remained at this academy about a year, and then went to the University of Glasgow. About the year 1721 he is found in London, and, approved by several presbyterian ministers, he began to preach, first at Chertsey and then in the metropolis. At this time Edmund Calamy received him into his own family. At the recommendation of Calamy he next went to Abingdon in Berkshire. He was chosen pastor of a congregation of Protestant dissenters there. He was ordained on 27 March 1723, Calamy and five other ministers officiating on the occasion. He continued in Abingdon for seven years. When ordained he held strictly Calvinist opinions and preached them fervently. In 1726 he married Mrs. Elizabeth Hills, widow. In 1729 he left Abingdon, having changed to Arminian views which were generally disapproved of by his congregation. He rmoved to London, after hesitating whether to take up medicine himself, having accepted an invitation to become pastor of a congregation in King John's Court, Southwark. Here he remained eleven years. Having lost his first wife in 1740, Benson was remarried in 1742 to Mrs. Mary Kettle, daughter of William Kettle of Birmingham. By neither wife had he any family. About this time he was invited to become joint pastor with Samuel Bourn of the presbyterian congregation, Birmingham. In 1744, the University of Aberdeen conferred on Benson the degree of D.D. The university of Glasgow had also intended the same honour for him, but one of the professors 'spoke of him with abhorrence as an avowed Socinian' (Biog. Britannica). In 1749 Benson was translated to a congregation of Protestant dissenters in Poor Jewry Lane, Crutchedfriars, as successor to Dr. William Harris. Here he continued until his death. He had acted for some years as assistant to Dr. Nathaniel Lardner. Benson was in familiar intercourse with leading contemporaries, from Lord Chancellor Peter King to Edmund Law, bishop of Carlisle. Benson had hardly retired from the ministry when he died on 6 April 1762 in the sixty-third year of his age. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「George Benson (theologian)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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