The Society for Promoting the Knowledge of the Scriptures was a group founded in 1783 in London, with a definite but rather constrained plan for Biblical interpretation. While in practical terms it was mainly concerned with promoting Unitarian views, it was broadly based.

Founders

The founding group included

John Disney John Disney may refer to: * John Disney (antiquarian) (1779–1857), English barrister * John Disney (ornithologist) (1919–2014), Australian ornithologist * John Disney (priest) (1677–1730), English clergyman * John Disney (Unitarian) John ...

, the initial Secretary, and John Jebb.(ODNB). The membership was 30 to 40, of varied denominations. Among them were Dr.

John Calder John Mackenzie Calder (25 January 1927 – 13 August 2018) was a Scottish-Canadian writer and publisher who founded the company Calder Publishing in 1949. Biography Calder was born in Montreal, Canada, into the Calder family associated with the ...

Michael Dodson Michael Dodson (1732–1799) was an English lawyer and writer on religious subjects. Life The only son of Joseph Dodson, dissenting minister at Marlborough, Wiltshire, he was born there in September 1732. He was educated at Marlborough Grammar Sc ...

Andrew Kippis Andrew Kippis (28 March 17258 October 1795) was an English nonconformist clergyman and biographer. Life The son of Robert Kippis, a silk-hosier, he was born at Nottingham. Having gone to Carre's Grammar School in Sleaford, Lincolnshire he pass ...

, Theophilus Lindsey and Richard Price in London. Those in the provinces giving at least financial support included

Joseph Priestley Joseph Priestley (; 24 March 1733 – 6 February 1804) was an English chemist, natural philosopher, separatist theologian, grammarian, multi-subject educator, and liberal political theorist. He published over 150 works, and conducted exp ...

, Bishop

Edmund Law Edmund Law (6 June 1703 – 14 August 1787) was a priest in the Church of England. He served as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, as Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy in the University of Cambridge from 1764 to 1769, and as bishop of Carlisle ...

, Joshua Toulmin, and William Turner. Robert Tyrwhitt joined in 1784.

''Commentaries and Essays''

The Society produced two volumes of ''Commentaries and Essays'' (1787), as its major achievement, before subsiding as inactive. Among the contributors were Michael Dodson and

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced ...

Notes

{{Reflist 1783 establishments in England Unitarianism