Thomas Hollis Chair of Divinity (Harvard College)

On January 24, 1722, Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, appointed Edward Wigglesworth to the newly established Thomas Hollis Chair of Divinity. This was the first officially commissioned divinity professorship in the American colonies, marking a deliberate public investment in training ministers and shaping a learned clergy for a growing society. The chair, funded by English benefactor Thomas Hollis, stood as a reminder that higher learning serves its highest good when it bows to God’s Word and aims at wisdom, not mere reputation.

Harvard’s early identity was closely tied to preparing ministers. By creating a formal chair dedicated to divinity, the college strengthened the conviction that Scripture and sound doctrine belong at the center of education. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). That conviction resisted the temptation to treat theology as a secondary pursuit or an ornamental subject, insisting instead that it forms character, conscience, and public leadership.

Edward Wigglesworth (1693–1765)

Wigglesworth’s long tenure represented a steady, pastoral kind of heroism: the courage to teach faithfully over decades, often without applause, trusting that God uses ordinary means—study, prayer, preaching, and patient instruction—to build His church. His work sought to form ministers with disciplined minds and reverent hearts, able to handle the truth carefully and shepherd souls tenderly. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

He served Christ not by novelty but by perseverance in what is true, calling students to piety as well as competence. In a new land facing spiritual and cultural pressures, such formation mattered. Faithful ministers would need both conviction and humility, both learning and holiness, to withstand error, comfort the afflicted, and proclaim Christ clearly.

Thomas Hollis (1670–1731) and Transatlantic Support

Hollis’s generosity showed a practical love for the church’s future, extending beyond national borders for the sake of gospel ministry. His support helped secure a lasting institutional witness that knowledge is not an end in itself, but a stewardship under God. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). The 1722 appointment thus signaled a durable commitment: to train servants of the gospel who would bless families, congregations, and communities through faithful teaching and steadfast character.