CHEYNE, THOMAS KELLY°

CHEYNE, THOMAS KELLY ° (1841–1915), English Bible scholar. Born in London, Cheyne studied at Oxford and Goettingen (under *Ewald) where he came under the influence of the German critical school. In 1885 he became professor of scripture interpretation at Oxford. Cheyne introduced the theories and methods of both Higher and Lower Criticism of the Bible into England and was one of their most radical exponents. He first adopted *Graf 's hypothesis – developed by *Wellhausen – of the post-exilic date of the Priestly Code and later took up H. Winckler's theory of the North Arabian origin of the Jerachmeelites (i Sam. 27:10; i Chron. 2:9) and their influence on Israelite history. He edited in collaboration with S. Black the Encyclopaedia Biblica (4 vols., 1899–1903). In his numerous articles published in it, Cheyne developed his Jerachmeelite theory. Among his published works are several books on Isaiah (1870; 1880–81; 1884); Job and Solomon (1887); two books on Psalms (1888; 1891); Founders of Old Testament Criticism (1893); Jewish Religious Life after the Exile (1898, German ed. 1905²); Traditions and Beliefs of Ancient Israel (1907); The Two Religions of Israel… (1911); The Veil of Hebrew History (1913). In his last work, Reconciliation of Races and Religions (1914), Cheyne, though still professing Christianity, had reached a point of seriously doubting the synoptic narrative, including the crucifixion.

bibliography:

dnb, 3 Supplement (1927), 119–20.