Thomas John Dennis was born the eldest son in a family deeply imbued with missionary spirit, with no fewer than eight members serving as missionaries of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). He was of a serious temperament, inclined toward books rather than sport. His most enduring legacy remains his translations of the New Testament, the Prayer Book, and ultimately the Old Testament. These works were first translated into three major dialects and were later adapted into a single version judged most acceptable to Ibo language speakers as a whole.
1894–1917
Thomas John Dennis
Archdeacon
Led translation work
Full Biography
Related Events
1857
The Birth of the Church on the Niger
The expedition up the River Niger established a missionary presence in several cities along the coast of the
1940
The End of an Era
The original manuscript of the Union Ibo Bible, written in Tom’s own handwriting, is held by the British
1917
Torpedoing of SS Karina and Death of Archdeacon Dennis
The West Equatorial Africa Diocesan Magazine for July 1917 published an article titled CMS Loss through Submarines. It
1914
Outbreak of First World War
On 3 August 1914, Dennis and his wife learned of the outbreak of war in Europe. Prompt measures
1911
Battle of Igbo Bible Versions
On August 4, 1911, Baylis corresponded with the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) regarding Dennis’s arrival in
1909
Clash with Mbari Culture
Dennis opposed certain cultural practices in Egbu that he believed conflicted with Christian principles and insisted on their
