Richard Greenham

Richard Greenham was a pioneer. First, he was the pio­neer of Reformed and Puritan casuistry. He became best known as a spiritual counselor dealing with afflicted consciences and answering people’s various questions. These discussions were collected in a group of writings known as “table talk” and published as Rylands English Manuscript 524 (republished in ‘Prac­tical Divinity,’ pp. 129–259). The writings address spir­itual and practical rather than doctrinal matters. John Primus writes that “Greenham’s style, when dealing with sinners, was honest confrontation tempered by gentleness” (Richard Greenham, p. 41). He was a pioneer in establishing a rectory semi­nary. A goodly number of men trained for the ministry under him. Some of them, like Arthur Hildersham and Henry Smith, became well-known Puritan preachers and authors. As his lecture notes were copied and cir­culated widely by his students, his practical, winsome approach to theological study became highly respected in the early Puritan movement. The Christian Library