Gorham Case
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The Reverend George Cornelius Gorham |
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|---|---|
| Vicar of Brampford Speke | |
Gorham in 1850
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| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Exeter |
| In office | 1847–1857 |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1811 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
21 August 1787 St Neots, Huntingdonshire, England |
| Died | 19 June 1857 (aged 69) |
| Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge |
George Cornelius Gorham (21 August 1787 – 19 June 1857) was a vicar in the Church of England. His legal recourse to being denied a certain post, subsequently taken to a secular court, caused great controversy.
Gorham was born in St Neots, Huntingdonshire. He entered Queens' College, Cambridge in 1805, graduating BA as 3rd wrangler and Smith's prizeman in 1809.
He was ordained in 1811, despite the misgivings of the Bishop of Ely, Thomas Dampier, who found Gorham's views at odds with Anglican doctrine. Gorham's views on baptism had caused comment, particularly his contention that by baptism infants do not become members of Christ and the children of God. After curacies in several parishes, he was instituted as vicar of St Just in Penwith by Henry Phillpotts, Bishop of Exeter, in 1846.
The following year, Gorham was recommended for Brampford Speke - a small village in Devon, 4 miles to the north of Exeter, which has a Church of England parish church dedicated to St Peter.
Upon examining him, Bishop Phillpotts took exception to Gorham's view that baptismal regeneration was conditional and dependent upon a later personal adoption of promises made. The Bishop found Gorham to be a Calvinist in this matter and hence unsuitable for the post.
Gorham appealed to the ecclesiastical Court of Arches to compel the bishop to institute him but the court confirmed the bishop's decision and awarded costs against Gorham.
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