John William Burgon (1813-1888) was an Anglican minister who became the Dean of Chichester Cathedral (Sussex, England) in 1876.

He wrote several books during his lifetime, including books of poetry and theology. His most notable contribution to Christian scholarship was his defense of the Byzantine text-type and the continued ecclesiastical use of the Authorized (King James) Version of the Holy Bible.

This essay, originally titled "God's Providential Preservation of Scripture: What Does This Mean?" was written by Burgon's ideological successor, Edward Freer Hills (1912-1981), and provides a brief biography and summary of his views on the text of Scripture.