James, Fleming

(Jan. 11, 1877-Sept. 11, 1959). Seminary dean and OT scholar. He was born in Gambier, Ohio. James received his B.A. in 1895, his M.A. in 1896, and his Ph.D. in 1899, all from the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Philadelphia Divinity School, where his father was professor of homiletics, in 1901. He was ordained deacon on June 2, 1901. James began his ministry as minister-in-charge of St. Andrew's Church, Philadelphia. On May 25, 1902, he was ordained priest. He then became missionary-in-charge of the American Congregation of the Church of Our Saviour in Shanghai. In 1906 he returned to the United States and served as minister-in-charge of St. Anne's mission, Philadelphia, until 1912. From 1912 until 1921, James was rector of St. Paul's Church, Englewood, New Jersey. In 1921 he became professor of Old Testament at the Berkeley Divinity School, where he remained until 1940. From Sept. 1, 1940, until his retirement on Feb. 1, 1947, James was professor of Old Testament and dean at the School of Theology, University of the South. He moved to North Haven, Connecticut, and served as executive secretary of the OT section of the Revised Standard Version Bible Committee. His last position was as visiting professor of OT at the Yale Divinity School. His major publication was Personalities of the Old Testament (1939). James died in Hamden, Connecticut.