Professor William Naphy

Professor William Naphy
Professor William Naphy
Professor William Naphy

Fellow (Royal Historical Society)

Chair in History

About
Email Address
w.g.naphy@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone Number
+44 (0)1224 273928
Office Address

School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History,
Crombie Annexe, Room 109
Meston Walk,
King's College,
University of Aberdeen,
Old Aberdeen,
AB24 3FX.

School/Department
School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History

Biography

Professor Naphy received his doctorate (in Reformation History) from the University of St Andrews in 1993.  He was appointed a lecturer at the University of Manchester in 1993 and, in 1996, at Aberdeen where he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1999.  He was awarded a personal chair in 2007.  He is the author of six books with translations into six languages (including a translation, funded by the Norwegian government, into Serbo-Croat for an NGO raising awareness of homosexuality in Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia) as well as numerous edited volumes and articles in scholarly journals .   

He has made frequent appearances in the media (Channel 4; Grampian TV; BBC-Scotland; BBC-Radio 4: Start the Week) as a specialist on the history of witchcraft, plague, and sexuality.  He contributed extensively to the media in the discussions surrounding the Kirk's position on gay ministers.  He was historical consultant for Out in the World, a four-part series on the history of sexuality broadcast on Radio 3.

He is a leading authority on Calvin's Geneva during the sixteenth century as well as the history of crime and punishment in the early modern period  He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and member of the Sixteenth Century Studies Society

During the course of 2009 and events commemorating Calvin's birth in 1509, Professor Naphy participated in the T. V. Moore endowed lecture series at the San Francisco Theological Seminary along with the Rev. Dr. Setri Nyomi (General Secreary, World Alliance of Reformed Churches).  Professor Naphy also delivered a keynote address at the conference on Calvin and his Influence, 1509-2009 (Geneva, 24-27 May).

He speaks often to general audiences on gender, sexuality, witchcraft and Calvinism.

Qualifications

  • PhD Reformation History 
    1993 - University of St Andrews 

    Thesis Title: Calvin & the Consolidation of the Genevan Reformation

  • MDiv Historical Theology 
    1987 - Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 
  • BA Latin 
    1982 - College of William & Mary 

External Memberships

Professor Naphy is one of the editors for the Manchester University Press series on Early Modern Europe.

Research

Research Overview

Calvin, Calvinism, Witchcraft, Plague, Geneva, Crime, Sexuality, Gender, Gay Issues

Current Research

Professor Naphy is currently working on the production of a two-volume study of sexuality, deviance, and criminality in early modern Geneva. The first volume will concentrate on 'unnatural' sexual activity (as defined by the Genevan courts), while the second volume will look at the wider issue of the control and criminalisation of other forms of sexual activity (for example, fornication and adultery).

Teaching

Teaching Responsibilities

  • HI1027 Making History
  • HS1001 The Scientific Revolution & the Origins of Modern Science
  • HI2027 The 'Other': History of Minorities & the Marginalised
  • HI304J/HI354J Historical Research for Visiting Students
  • HI305M/355M Aztec, Incas and Mayas: Empires on the Eve of Apocalypse
  • HI401C Morality & Sexual Mores in the Classical World
  • HI502W Scotland's Millennium: A Thematic Overview (online course)
  • HI1521 Renaissance to Revolutions
  • HI1527 American Civilisations
  • HI356J Thinking History
  • HI4516 Undergraduate Dissertation in History
  • HI4518 History in Practice
  • HI553D Scottish Witch-Hunting & the Rise of a Protestant Culture, 1590-1690 (online course)
Publications

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  • A Long-Suffering Ministry: Calvin & the Continual Crises of Geneva, 1536-1564

    Naphy, W. G., Balserak, J. (ed.)
    A Companion to the Reformation in Geneva. Balserak, J. (ed.). Leiden: Brill, pp. 75-92, 17 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • 525 Years in the Pursuit of Truth Podcast: The Local Rise and International Role of Marischal College, 1593-1860

    Bow, C. (ed.), Naphy, W.
    Non-textual Forms: Digital or Visual Products
  • Reforming the City-State: Government in Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    John Calvin in Context. Holder, R. W. (ed.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 92-99, 7 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • From prince-bishopric to city-state: Nationalizing the Church and creating a republic in reformation Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    Layered Landscapes: Early Modern Religious Space Across Faiths and Cultures. Nelson, E., Wright, J. (eds.). Routledge, pp. 134-149, 16 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Judges and shepherds: Consistories

    Naphy, W.
    Judging Faith, Punishing Sin: Inquisitions and Consistories in the Early Modern World. Parker, C. H., Starr-LeBeau, G. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 104-127
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Consistories

    Naphy, W. G.
    Judging Faith, Punishing Sin: Inquisitions and Consistories in the Early Modern World. Parker, C., Starr-Lebeau, G. (eds.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 104-116, 12 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Secret Pregnancies & Presumptions of Guilt: Infanticide in Early Modern Geneva, 1558-1642

    Naphy, W. G.
    Politics, Gender, and Belief: The Long-Term Impact of the Reformation - Essays in Memory of Robert M. Kingdon. Comerford, K., Maag, K., Nelson-Burnett, A. (eds.). Librairie Droz, pp. 265-287, 23 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • We don’t care about how farm animals live, so why do we care how they die?

    Naphy, W.
    The Conversation
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
  • Tories in denial while Kirk comes to terms with sexuality

    Naphy, W.
    The Conversation
    Contributions to Specialist Publications: Articles
  • Born to be Gay: Historija Homoseksualnosti

    Naphy, W. G.
    Sarajevski Otvoreni Centar; Queeria Center; Queer Zagreb, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade. 338 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Geneva II

    Naphy, W.
    The Calvin Handbook. Selderhuis, H. (ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., pp. 44-56, 13 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Calvins zweiter Aufenhalt in Genf

    Naphy, W. G.
    Calvin Handbuch. Selderhuis, H. (ed.). Verlag J.C B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), pp. 44-57, 14 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • 'Under-Age' Sexual Activity in Reformation Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    Children and Sexuality: The Greeks to the Great War. Rousseau, G. (ed.). Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 108-141, 34 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • The Protestant Revolution: From Martin Luther to Martin Luther King Jr

    Naphy, W. G.
    BBC Books, London, United Kingdom. 304 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Nacido para ser Gay

    Naphy, W. G., Eslava, L. F.
    Tomo, Mexico City, Mexico. 412 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Plague

    Naphy, W. G.
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
  • La Pesta in Europa

    Naphy, W. G., Spicer, A., Arganese, G.
    Il Mulino, Bologna, Italy. 180 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Born to be Gay: Historia da Homossexualidade

    Naphy, W. G.
    Edic¸o~es 70, Lisbon. 304 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Fear in Early Modern Society

    Naphy, W. G.
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
  • New Sources and New Ideas on the Life and Career of Calvin, 1541-1557

    Naphy, W. G.
    Calvinus Evangelii Propugnator: Calvin, Champion of the Gospel. Wright, D., Lane, A., Balserak, J. (eds.). Calvin Studies Society, pp. 40-53, 13 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Calvin's Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    Cambridge Companion to John Calvin. McKim, D. K. (ed.). Cambridge University Press, pp. 25-37, 12 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Sex Crimes: From Renaissance to Enlightenment

    Naphy, W. G.
    Tempus, Stroud, United Kingdom. 255 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Plague: Black Death & Pestilence in Europe

    Naphy, W. G., Spicer, A.
    The History Press Ltd, Stroud. 222 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Born to be Gay: A History of Homosexuality

    Naphy, W. G.
    Tempus, Stroud. 288 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Calvin’s Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    The Cambridge Companion to John Calvin. Cambridge University Press, pp. 25-38, 14 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Czarna Smierc: Historia epidemii z lat 1345-1730

    Naphy, W. G., Spicer, A.
    Pantstwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, Warsaw, Poland. 157 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • La peur de la maladie

    Naphy, W. G.
    Conflicts actuels: Revue d'etude politique, vol. 14, pp. 43-55
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • La Peste noire: Grandes peurs et epidemies 1345-1730

    Naphy, W. G., Spicer, A., Sancery, A.
    Editions Autrement, Paris, France. 189 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Calvin and the Consolidation of the Genevan Reformation: with a new preface

    Naphy, W. G.
    Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, KY, USA. 288 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Reasonable doubt: Defences advanced in early modern sodomy trials in Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    Judicial tribunals in England and Europe, 1200-1700. Mulholland, M., Pullan, B. (eds.). Manchester University Press, pp. 129-146, 17 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Der schwarze Tod: Die Pest in Europa

    Naphy, W. G., Spicer, A., Ruttermann, M.
    Magnus Verlag, Essen, Germany. 208 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Verbotene Leidenschaft: Gesellschaft und Sexualitat von der Renaissance zur Aufklarung

    Naphy, W. G.
    Magnus Verlag, Essen. 222 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Sex Crimes from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment

    Naphy, W. G.
    Tempus, Stroud, United Kingdom. 224 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Sodomy in early modern Geneva: various definitions, diverse verdicts

    Naphy, W. G.
    Sodomy & Sexual Deviance in Early Modern Europe. Betteridge, T. (ed.). Manchester University Press, pp. 94-111, 17 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Plagues, Poisons and Potions: Plague-Spreading Conspiracies in the Western Alps c.1530-1640

    Naphy, W. G.
    Manchester University Press, Manchester, United Kingdom. 242 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Religion and Superstition in Reformation Europe

    Naphy, W. G. (ed.), Parish, H. (ed.)
    Manchester University Press, Manchester, United Kingdom. 272 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Church and state in Calvin's Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    Calvin and the Church: Papers Presented At the 13th Colloquium of the Calvin Studies Society, May 24-26, 2001. CRC Press, pp. 13-28, 15 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Genevan Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, c.1535-1560: Balancing on the edge of the Confederacy

    Naphy, W. G.
    Eidgenössische "Grenzfälle" : Mühlhausen und Genf: En marge de la Confédération : Mulhouse et Genève. Kaiser, W., Sieber-Lehmann, C., Windler, C. (eds.). Schwabe, Switzerland, pp. 189-219, 30 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • The Black Death : A History of the Plagues 1345-1730

    Naphy, W. G., Andrew Spicer, A.
    Tempus, Stroud, Glos, United Kingdom. 208 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • Calvin and Geneva

    Naphy, W. G.
    The Reformation World. Pettegree, A. (ed.). Oxford University Press, pp. 309-322, 13 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • The Price of Liberty: Genevan Security and Defence Spending, 1535-1555

    Naphy, W. G.
    War in History, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 379-399
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • A Magisterially Controlled Fear

    Naphy, W. G.
    Fear in Early Modern Society. Naphy, W. G., Roberts, P. (eds.). Manchester University Press, pp. 28-43, 15 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Fear in Early Modern Society

    Naphy, W. G. (ed.), Roberts, P. (ed.)
    Manchester University Press, Manchester, United Kingdom. 245 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • The Reformation and Evolution of Geneva's Schools

    Naphy, W. G.
    Reformations Old and New: Essays on the Socio-Economic Impact of Religious Change c. 1470-1630. Kumin, B. A. (ed.). Scolar, pp. 185-202, 17 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Documents on the Continental Reformation

    Naphy, W. G.
    Books and Reports: Anthologies
  • Documents on the Continental Reformation

    Naphy, W. G.
    Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, United Kingdom. 200 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
  • No History can satisfy everyone: Geneva's Chroniclers and Emerging Religious Identities

    Naphy, W. G.
    Protestant Identity and History in Reformation Europe: The Medieval Inheritance. Gordon, B. (ed.). Scolar, pp. 23-38, 15 pages
    Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters
  • Francois Bonivard and his Difformes Reformateurs

    Naphy, W. G.
    Renaissance and Reformation, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 57-80
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Catholic Perceptions of Early French Protestantism: The Heresy Trial of Baudichon de la Maisonneuve on Trial in Lyon, 1534

    Naphy, W. G.
    French History, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 451-477
    Contributions to Journals: Articles
  • Calvin and the Consolidation of the Genevan Reformation

    Naphy, W. G.
    Manchester University Press, Manchester, United Kingdom. 288 pages
    Books and Reports: Books
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