William Perkins (puritan)

William Perkins (puritan)

William Perkins (1558 – 1602) was an influential Anglican clergyman and Cambridge theologian, receiving both a BA and MA from the school in 1581 and 1584 respectively, who was one of the foremost leaders of the Puritan movement in the Church of England during the Elizabethan era. Although not entirely accepting of the Church of England's ecclesiastical practices, Perkins was accepted many of the policies and procedures imposed by the Elizabethan Settlement. He did remain, however, sympathetic to the non-conformist puritans and even faced disciplinary action for his support.

Perkins was a prolific author who penned over forty works, many of which were published posthumously. In addition to writing, he also served as a fellow at Christ's College and as a lecturer at St Andrew's Church in Cambridge. He was a firm proponent of Reformed theology, particularly the supralapsarian theology of Theodore Beza and John Calvin. In addition he was a staunch defender Protestant ideals, specifically the five solae with a particular emphasis on solus Christus and sola Scriptura.