Oliver Shaw Rankin
The Rev. Professor Oliver Shaw Rankin was a Scottish scholar and theologian. His research focused on the Old Testament and religious history.
Family
Rankin was born on 28 January 1885 in Lamington, Lanarkshire. His parents were Rev. Robert Rankin and Therese Margaretha Claus. He was the younger brother of Sir George Claus Rankin (1877-1946) who became Chief Justice of Bengal.Rankin married his material first cousin, Olivia Theresa Shaw, and added her surname to his own. They had three children; Robert Alexander Rankin, Kenneth Walker Rankin, and Olivia Rankin. Rankin died on 7 February 1954.
Education
Rankin was educated at the then John Watson's Institution, Edinburgh, and at George Watson's College, Edinburgh. He studied at the University of Edinburgh where he received his MA in 1906, and at Humboldt University of Berlin. He held the Vans Dunlop Scholarship in Hebrew, Arabic and Syriac in 1908. Rankin completed a BD in 1909, and a D.Litt in 1928.Professional life
In 1912, Rankin became Parish Minister in Sorbie, Wigtownshire, where he was ordained. He was a chaplain to German [prisoners of war in the United Kingdom|German prisoners of war] in 1918.In 1937 Rankin was appointed to the Chair of Old Testament Language, Literature and Theology at the University of Edinburgh. He gave his inaugural lecture in 1948. He corresponded with Martin [Luther King Jr.] on behalf of the Faculty of Divinity, when King applied to undertake a PhD at the New College in 1950.
Archival collections relating to Rankin and his research reside at the New College Library, and at the National Archives (United Kingdom)|National Archives] in Kew.