The Rev Professor Henry Chadwick, a scholar of international repute and former dean of Christ Church, has died at the age of 87.

An editor, translator and author of many publications, ranging from introductory volumes for the general reader to translations of important texts, he was also the first man in nearly 400 years to be made the head of both an Oxford and Cambridge college.

Prof Chadwick's work was important to the development of early Christian theology and he excelled in exploring avenues opened by disputes among his peers.

Born in 1920, he went to Eton as a King's Scholar, where he was to develop his musical talent.

He won a music scholarship to Magdalene College, Cambridge, and it was thought likely he would make music his career.

But at school and university he was closely associated with the evangelical groups of the Church of England, and became determined to take holy orders.

Following this he turned to the study of theology with the same steadiness and intensity which he had previously devoted to music.

He proceeded to training at Ridley Hall, an Anglican theological training college in Cambridge, and from there to a parish in Emmanuel, South Croydon.

His parish was on the direct line of flying bombs during World War II, and his pastoral experience was sometimes extremely dangerous.

But despite the bombs, he devoted every moment of spare time to the translation of Origen's Contra Celsum.

After a short spell as a schoolmaster he was elected in 1946 a fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge, and in 1955 published the translation of the Contra Celsum with notes and introduction. This was monumental both in bulk and learning, and at once raised him to the first rank in scholarship.

From 1954 he united with H.F.D. Sparks in editing The Journal of Theological Studies, to which he contributed some of his own best articles.

He was to be recognised for his work at a very young age, when, at the age of 40, he was made a Fellow of the British Academy.

In 1959 he was appointed as the regius professor of divinity at Oxford, to which the position of canonry of Christ Church was attached. And in 1969 he went on to become dean of Christ Church, a position he was to hold for the next ten years.

After retirement from Christ Church, he became a fellow of Magdalene, Cambridge, and was then, from 1987 to 1993, master of Peterhouse.

Prof Chadwick had a wide academic acquaintance upon the continent and in the US, and was always ready to help students of every kind.

Former Christ Church student Chris Gillbrand said: "He was the dean of Christ Church about whom the story was told that he discovered two undergraduates climbing back into Christ Church after midnight, when in those days the gates were locked at that time. 'Oh, my God', one cried. 'No sir, just his humble and obedient servant,' came the reply."

Prof Chadwick passed away on June 17.