John Owen (1616 – 24 August 1683) was an English Nonconformist church leader, theologian, and academic administrator at the University of Oxford. Owen was educated at Queen’s College, Oxford, where he studied classics and theology and was ordained. Because of the “high-church” innovations introduced by Archbishop William Laud, Owen left the university to be a chaplain to the family of a noble lord. His first parish was at Fordham in Essex, to which he went while the nation was involved in civil war.
Oliver Cromwell liked Owen and took him as his chaplain on his expeditions both to Ireland and Scotland from 1649-1651. As a result, Owen’s fame was at its height from 1651 to 1660, during which he played a prominent part in the religious, political, and academic life of England. Shortly after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, he moved to London, where he was active in preaching and writing until his death. He declined invitations to the ministry in Boston (1663) and the presidency of Harvard (1670) and chided New England Congregationalists for intolerance.
Oliver Cromwell liked Owen and took him as his chaplain on his expeditions both to Ireland and Scotland from 1649-1651. As a result, Owen’s fame was at its height from 1651 to 1660, during which he played a prominent part in the religious, political, and academic life of England. Shortly after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, he moved to London, where he was active in preaching and writing until his death. He declined invitations to the ministry in Boston (1663) and the presidency of Harvard (1670) and chided New England Congregationalists for intolerance.
