Milner

Joseph and Isaac Milner, The History of the Church of Christ (London, 1803–9) vols. 4 pt 2. With Isaac Milner’s annotated corrections.

As with his philosophical pursuits, for Isaac Milner, the project to assist in writing a seven-volume church history was undoubtedly linked to his aspiration for a secure state and church free from revolutionary turmoil. By telling and celebrating the history of the great reformers, such as Martin Luther, John Wycliffe and Erasmus, Milner sought both to explain and promulgate his vehemently Protestant view of Christianity. Milner's co-authorship of this work with his brother Joseph earned him nationwide and even international renown. Having been ordained as a deacon in 1774, his eventual promotion to the Deanery of Carlisle Cathedral (1791) invested him with added religious authority to undertake such a task. Although the History was conceived and begun by Joseph, Isaac was compelled to write the later volumes relating to the Reformation following Joseph’s untimely death in 1797.