Edward S. Kiek

Edward Sidney Kiek (5 August 1883 – 24 April 1959) was a Congregationalist minister, and principal of Parkin College, that church's seminary in Adelaide, South Australia. He was married to Winifred Kiek (c. 1884 – 23 May 1975) who was in 1927 the first woman to be ordained minister of a Christian church in Australia.

History

Edward Sidney Kiek, known commonly as "Kiek", was born in London, a son of Sidney Kiek, a publisher and seller of religious literature, and his wife Susannah Kiek, née Berry. He was educated at the Central Foundation School, City Road, London and King's College London. He joined the Civil Service and served as clerk in the Admiralty for four years.[1] He entered Wadham College in 1903 intent on the life of a Congregationalist missionary and was conferred BA by Oxford University in 1906 and MA in 1910.[2] He undertook theological studies under Dr. Fairbairn at Mansfield College, Oxford,[1] and was conferred BD in 1911[1] or 1912.[2] His first charge was a Congregational church at Newcastle-under-Lyme, in Staffordshire, where he was ordained in 1910, then in 1913 was called to the Square Congregational Church, Halifax, West Yorkshire. He became associated with the YMCA and under its auspices worked in France during the Great War.[1]

In 1919 he was appointed principal of Parkin Theological College, 64 North Terrace, Kent Town, South Australia,[3] following the death of Dr. L. D. Bevan (1842–1918). He was noted for introducing Oxford-style intellectual rigour into the curriculum, a more liberal theology, and moving away from literal interpretation of Scripture.

He regularly wrote thoughtful essays for the newspapers: he was critical of John Curtin's advocacy of isolationism in response to the rise of belligerent dictatorships.[4] He demonstrated in 1938 a clear understanding of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany in a dispassionate address[5] and was quick to denounce Nazi anti-Semitism.[6] He was an opponent of racial discrimination,[7] drinking and gambling.[8] He was a member and passionate supporter of the Common Cause movement.[9]

He was conferred Doctor of Divinity by the Melbourne College of Divinity in 1950. He retired in 1957.

Kiek Place, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named for Kiek and his wife.[10]

Other positions
  • He conducted lectures for the Workers' Educational Association and the University of Adelaide.[11]
  • He was a founder of the Round Table Christian Sociological Society[11] and was its president for 37 years.
  • President of the Congregational Union (SA) in the years 1929–30 and 1950–51.
  • President of the South Australian Council of Churches in 1927–28.
  • President of the United Churches Social Reform Board in 1946–47.
  • President of the Congregational Union of Australia and New Zealand from 1946 to 1948.
  • Chairman of the SA committee of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 1946 to 1948.
  • President of the SA committee of the World Council of Churches in 1954.
  • Member of the libraries Board of South Australia in 1955.[12]
  • He was an active Freemason and held several responsible positions in the craft.

Bibliography
  • Kiek, Edward S. (c. 1918), Sin and Forgiveness, booklet[1]
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1926), The Modern Religious Situation, (Edinburgh), a collection of his lectures
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1927), An Apostle in Australia: The life and reminiscences of Joseph C. Kirby, Independent Press (London)[13]
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1938) The Battle of Faith: One hundred sermon suggestions, James Clarke & Co., London[14]
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1939), Fundamental principles of Congregationalism, Congregational Union of South Australia, Adelaide
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1939), Fundamental principles of Congregationalism, Congregational Union of South Australia, retrieved 22 October 2016
  • Kiek, Edward S. (1944), The international jungle and the way out, Kent Press, retrieved 22 October 2016

See also

Family

Edward Sidney Kiek married Winifred Jackson (c. 1884 – 23 May 1975) in Manchester on 28 August 1911. Their children were:

  • Margaret Lucy Kiek (14 June 1914 – ) married Oscar Carl Knauerhase (1911– ) in 1937. She was a poet;[15] he was later a teacher at Adelaide Technical High School
  • S(idney) Noel Kiek (c. 1916 – ) was a geologist in Northern Territory, maths teacher in Broken Hill, later Tully, Queensland, where he was Cardwell Shire engineer to 1948.[16]
  • Laurence Edward "Laurie" Kiek (1918? – 25 July 2007) married Mavis Jean Stokie ( –1995) of Port Augusta sometime after October 1940. He served with RAAF, later teacher in Como, New South Wales.
  • John Rollo Kiek (22 August 1943 – )
  • son (23 June 1945 – )

Sources
  • Walter Phillips, 'Kiek, Edward Sidney (1883–1959)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, ADB, published first in hardcopy 1983. Retrieved 20 October 2016.

References
  1. "Principal Edward Sidney Kiek, M.A., B.D." Australian Christian Commonwealth. XXXIII (1650). South Australia. 14 May 1920. p. 9. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia. While at Fairbairn he wrote the Peace Hymn for the United Scholars' peace celebration.
  2. Walter Phillips, 'Kiek, Edward Sidney (1883–1959)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kiek-edward-sidney-6950/text12069, published first in hardcopy 1983. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  3. A National Library of Australia reference to Parkin College being in Unley is factually incorrect and easily disproved.
  4. "Mr. Curtin and Sanctions". The Advertiser. South Australia. 11 October 1937. p. 22. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Hitler is a Showman, says visiting cleric". The Examiner. XCVI (295). Tasmania, Australia. 22 February 1938. p. 6. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Barbarities to Jews". The Advertiser. South Australia. 23 June 1938. p. 22. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Letters to the Editor". The Advertiser. 97 (29, 885). South Australia. 27 July 1954. p. 4. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Licensing Bookmakers". The Register News-Pictorial. XCV (27, 739). South Australia. 11 July 1930. p. 13. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Common Cause and Communism". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 14 May 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 7 March 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Periodic (National : 1977 - 2011) - 15 May 1987 - p3". Trove. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  11. "Pen Portraits of People". The News. II (234). South Australia. 23 April 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. Members of the Libraries Board, 1955, retrieved 21 October 2016
  13. "Publications Received". The Advertiser. South Australia. 24 December 1927. p. 20. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ""Pocket" Sermons By Principal Kiek". The Advertiser. South Australia. 17 December 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 21 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "AustLit:Margaret Knauerhase". Retrieved 22 October 2016..
  16. "Sack for Cardwell Shire Hands". Cairns Post (14, 346). Queensland, Australia. 26 February 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 22 October 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
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