J. B. Lightfoot

The Right Reverend Joseph Lightfoot
Bishop of Durham
Photograph of Lightfoot.
Diocese	Diocese of Durham
Elected	15 March 1879
In office	10 April 1879 (conf.)–1889 (died)
Predecessor	Charles Baring
Successor	Brooke Foss Westcott
Other posts	Hulsean Professor of Divinity (1861–1875) Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity (1875–1879) Deputy Clerk of the Closet (1875–?)
Personal details
Born	(1828-04-13)13 April 1828 Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Died	21 December 1889(1889-12-21) (aged 61) Bournemouth, Hampshire, UK
Buried	Auckland Castle chapel
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Residence	Auckland Castle (as Bishop of Durham)
Parents	John Lightfoot & Ann Lightfoot (née Barber)
Spouse	never married
Profession	academic; biblical scholar; bible translator; theologian; tutor
Education	King Edward's School, Birmingham
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

Joseph Barber Lightfoot (13 April 1828 – 21 December 1889), also known as J. B. Lightfoot, was an English theologian and Bishop of Durham.

Lightfoot was born in Liverpool, where his father John Jackson Lightfoot was an accountant. His mother, Ann Matilda Barber was from a family of Birmingham artists. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, under James Prince Lee. His contemporaries included Brooke Foss Westcott and Edward White Benson. In 1847 Lightfoot went to Trinity College, Cambridge, and read for his degree along with Westcott. He graduated senior classic and 30th wrangler, and was elected a fellow of his college. From 1854 to 1859 he edited the Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology. In 1857 he became tutor and his fame as a scholar grew. He was made Hulsean professor in 1861, and shortly afterwards chaplain to the Prince Consort and honorary chaplain in ordinary to Queen Victoria.

In 1866 he was Whitehall preacher, and in 1871 he became canon of St Paul's Cathedral. The Times wrote after his death that

It was always patent that what he was chiefly concerned with was the substance and the life of Christian truth, and that his whole energies were employed in this inquiry because his whole heart was engaged in the truths and facts which were at stake.

In 1875 Lightfoot became Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity in succession to William Selwyn. In 1879 he was consecrated bishop of Durham in succession to Charles Baring; he was enthroned at Durham Cathedral on 15 May. He soon surrounded himself with a band of scholarly young men.