Wednesday, October 29, 2025

It is the 29th of October 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

If you’ve listened to this show for some time, you might remember my personal affinity for something sometimes called “nominative determinism,” which might also be called- in Latin- “Nomen Est Omen” or “the name is a sign”- like, you name your son Tanner and he becomes a leatherworker. Or your daughter, Violet, becomes a botanist.

We have an almost case today- but even that’s like the 10th most interesting thing about our man- George Abbot- born in Guildford, England, on this day in 1562. No, he was not an Abbot, as he would be a Puritan in the Church of England (Abbots are the “father” of an Abbey), but he would become a dean, a Bishop, and ultimately the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1611.

A remarkably popular fellow, he was able to speak his mind to James, the King of England- he was a best-selling author in numerous fields- and I’m willing to bet you have read some of his most important work, not knowing it was his.  

The story of his birth is well trodden in some circles- he was the son of a cloth merchant- but according to his mother, he was destined for great things. She had a dream that if she were to eat a certain kind of fish- perhaps Pike- whilst pregnant, her son would be a prominent man in the community. As the story goes, she was doing her washing in the River Way in Guildford and a Pike got caught up in her clothes- she caught, cooked, and ate the fish. When this story got out, a number of local men decided to become patrons and assure themselves a place in the retinue of the boy with the prophecy. These things have a way of being self-fulfilling.

Although we should note that his brothers, without prophesies, did quite well. His older brother would be Bishop of Salisbury (where they make ground beef look like a steak), and his younger brother would be the Lord Mayor of London.

George would rocket through the ranks of the academic world- Master of University College Oxford in his 30s, Dean of Winchester, and Vice-Chancellor of Oxford. He wrote “A Brief Description of the Whole World,” also called “Abbot’s Geography.” It is one of the earliest global geographies. He would be sent on a mission to Scotland to try and unite the English and Scottish churches and became a favorite of the new Scottish King on the English Throne, James I/VI.

And thus he would be tasked by the king to be a primary translator of the Authorized Version of the Bible that took his name- the King James Bible. George Abbott would be responsible for the translation of the Greek for the Gospels, the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation. Being that the King James was THE Bible text for centuries, the translations he was responsible for and oversaw might be some of the most read in history.

As Archbishop of Canterbury, he took his role seriously and would not kowtow to the King- he opposed James’ Book of Sports (James’ declaration permitting Sunday Sports) and what he perceived as a weakening of the church’s Calvinist roots with the coming of King Charles I and his chosen man: William Laud.  

And as he was publicly opposing Royal policies and the theologians like Laud, tragedy struck. In the summer of 1621, Abbot was hunting with a crossbow when he overshot his target and struck the gamekeeper, Peter Hawkins. Hawkins died, and the story became a national scandal. Laud would call Abbot- a man by all accounts pious and warm- “a man of blood”. And his enemies- the growing group of Latitudinarians took the occasion to smear the man. He was cleared by the King of any wrongdoing, but the accidental death and public smearing left him a shadow of his old self. He would keep a fast every Tuesday (the day of the accidental death) for the rest of his life, and set up an annual payment to Hawkins’ wife and put her in his will. He would become known for the Hospital he set up in his hometown of Guildford, and is the only translator of the King James Bible to have a statue erected- his is there in Guildford. He was the Abbot who would become Archbishop- the translator whose later life was marred by tragedy. George Abbot died in 1633. Born on this day in 1562, he was 70 years old.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and from Matthew 21- Abbott's translation in the King James.

28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 29th of October 2025, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man whose parents were going to name him Preacher McProducer O’Coffee Roaster… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who read that Buzz Aldrin’s mother was called Marion Moon and that the head of the Scottish Avalanche division was once a Mr. Diggins… I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.