John Simson (1667–1740) was a Scottish "New Licht" theologian, involved in a long investigation of alleged heresy.
[2] In September 1698 he travelled to the Netherlands to receive instruction from Johannes Marck, professor of divinity at Leiden University, staying from 1689 to 1731.
For 20 years the ranks of presbyterian clergy in the west of Scotland and north of Ireland were recruited from his pupils.
Subsequently, he stated his position in correspondence with Robert Rowan (1660–1714), minister of Penningham, Wigtownshire, and with James Hog, editor of The Marrow.
Simson gave in his replies on 29 March 1715, and the general assembly on 8 May referred the case to a committee of thirty ministers and six elders, on 13 May.
The gist of the accusation was that Simson had attributed too much to the "light of nature", but there were other charges, e.g. he held it probable that the moon was inhabited.
On 14 May 1717 the assembly found that Simson had 'vented some opinions not necessary to be taught in divinity,' and had employed expressions 'used by adversaries in a bad and unsound sense;' these were prohibited for the future, but no further censure was passed.
The assembly was, in fact, being offered to choose between two extremes: on the same day judgment was given against the ‘Auchterarder creed’ (see Thomas Boston, the elder).
He defended himself by affirming his judgment that, in the then state of Scottish theology, there was danger of Sabellianism and Socinianism, none of Arianism.
On 16 February 1726 Charles Coats, minister of Govan, brought the matter before the Glasgow presbytery, who drew up six queries, which Simson declined to answer.
No provision was made for the duties of his chair, save that the principal, Neil Campbell, heard the discourses of bursars.