BAMPTON, JOHN

born 1690? died June 2, 1751 English clergyman who gave his name to one of Protestant Christendom's most distinguished lectureships, the Bampton lectures at Oxford University. Bampton studied at Trinity College, Oxford, and was a prebendary of Salisbury Cathedral from 1718 until his death. The Bampton lectures were established in accordance with his will. They consist of eight lecture-sermons preached on Sunday mornings between the beginning of the last month in Lent term and the third week in Act term, upon specified topics of Christian doctrine. The lecturer is chosen by the heads of colleges during Easter term. Since 1895 the Bampton lectures have been given every other year. Also supported by the Bampton fund are the Sarum lectures, which were established to enable other than Anglican theologians to lecture.