James Beaven

Who was James Beaven?

James Beaven was a Church of England clergyman and author, educated and employed in England until accepting an appointment as professor of divinity at King’s College, Toronto, in 1843.

Beaven was an accomplished classical scholar and wrote a number of books. Three of these were scholarly sermons. His subjects also included the writings of Cicero and the life and writings of St Irenaeus. A well known book documented a diocesan tour in 1845 by Bishop John Strachan. His Elements of Natural Theology is generally regarded as the first philosophical work written in English Canada.

James and his wife had seven children; one son, Robert, became prime minister of British Columbia from 1882–83.