Cameron, John

Cameron, John (kăm`ərən), c.1579–1625, Scottish scholar and theologian. As teacher, lecturer, and preacher at Bordeaux, Saumur, and other cities on the Continent, he came to be celebrated for his learning and ability. He was appointed (1622) principal of the Univ. of Glasgow by James I of England, but his belief in the divine right of kings and his stand for passive obedience made it impossible for him to remain in this post long. Returning to France after less than a year, he became (1624) professor of divinity at Montauban. Not long afterward he was attacked by an enemy of the doctrine of passive obedience and died. His writings, in Latin and French, were largely concerned with his views on man's free will and the grace of God. Those who held the same opinions were sometimes known as Cameronites and practiced a moderate form of Calvinism. His collected works were published in 1642, with a memoir by Louis Cappel.