John Keble

John Keble , 1792-1866, English clergyman and poet. His career (1807-11) at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, was one of unusual distinction. Made fellow of Oriel College in 1811 and ordained in 1816, he became tutor and examiner, but resigned in 1823 to become his father's curate. He based the doctrine and devotion of his important poetical work The Christian Year (1827) on the Book of Common Prayer. It sold 150 editions in 50 years and led to a professorship of poetry at Oxford (1831-41). Alarmed at the suppression of 10 bishoprics in Ireland, Keble preached (1833) a sermon that he called "National Apostasy." J. H. Newman later called this the beginning of the Oxford movement . From 1836 he held the living of Hursley, Hampshire. His works include an edition of Richard Hooker's works (1836), a life of Bishop Wilson (1863), the Oxford Psalter (1839) and Lyra Innocentium: Thoughts in Verse on Children (1846). Among his poems are the well-known hymns Red o'er the Forest, New Every Morning Is Thy Love, and Sun of My Soul.

Bibliography: See biographies by J. T. Coleridge (1869) and W. Lock (1892); study by G. Battiscombe (1964).

Keble, John (1792–1866). Credited with launching the Oxford movement with his Assize Sermon of 1833, which was provoked by the moderate reform of the Irish Church Temporalities Act. To Keble it represented a sacrilegious interference with church order by the secular power. At Oxford he was regarded as a brilliant intellect and was professor of poetry (1831–5) until he married and left Oxford for the parish of Hursley in Hampshire, where he spent the rest of his life.

Keble, John (1792–1866), Tractarian leader. The son of John Keble, vicar of Coln St Aldwyn, he resigned his post as tutor at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1823 to assist his father in the cure of his parish. Here he wrote the poems which he published in 1827 as The Christian Year. In 1831 he was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford. He became increasingly conscious of the dangers threatening the C of E from the reforming and liberal movements, and on 14 July 1833 he preached before the University an assize sermon on National Apostasy. He took a leading part in the Oxford Movement, contributing several of the Tracts for the Times. He worked closely with E. B. Pusey to keep the High Church movement steadily attached to the C of E. From 1836 he was vicar of Hursley, near Winchester. Keble College, Oxford, was founded in his memory. Feast day in parts of the Anglican Communion, 29 May or 14 July.