Lake, Kirsopp

Lake, Kirsopp (kûr`səp), 1872–1946, noted English biblical scholar. He was curate of St. Mary the Virgin (Oxford) until 1904, when he became a professor at the Univ. of Leiden (until 1913). After 1914 he was at Harvard, first as professor of early Christian literature, from 1919 to 1932 as professor of ecclesiastical history, and from 1932 to 1937 as professor of history. Lake was also interested in archaeology and participated in many expeditions. He periodically visited Mt. Sinai, Mt. Athos, and other centers of ancient culture, and in Greece he did valuable research work on old manuscripts. Among his many publications are Early Days of Monasticism on Mt. Athos (1909), The Beginnings of Christianity (5 vol., 1920–32), and Immortality and the Modern Mind (1922).