C. K. Barrett


Charles Kingsley Barrett was a British biblical scholar and Methodist minister. He served as Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham and wrote commentaries on the Acts of the Apostles, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.

Early life and education

Barrett was born in Salford, and studied at Shebbear College, Devon, Pembroke College, Cambridge, and Wesley House in Cambridge.

Career

Barrett was ordained to the ministry in the Methodist Church, and appointed lecturer in divinity at the University of Durham in 1945, where he was elected professor in 1958. He also preached on a regular basis in the Darlington circuit of the Methodist Church and more widely.
Barrett has been described as standing alongside C. H. Dodd as "the greatest British New Testament scholar of the 20th century" and "the greatest UK commentator on New Testament writings since J. B. Lightfoot".

Honours

Barrett was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1961, and was awarded its Burkitt Medal in 1966. He served as president of the Society for New Testament Studies in 1973.
In 1982, a Festschrift was published in his honour. Paul and Paulinism: Essays in Honour of C.K. Barrett included contributions from Morna Hooker, F. F. Bruce, I. Howard Marshall, Martin Hengel, and John Painter.

Selected works