The Church and Humanity: The Life and Work of George Bell, 18831958 [Hardcover]

George Bell remains one of only a handful of twentieth-century English bishops to possess a continuing international reputation for his involvement in political affairs. His insistence that Christian faith required active participation in public life, at home and abroad, established an eminent, and often provocative, contribution to Christian ethics at large. Bell's participation in the tragic history of the German resistance against Hitler has earned him an enduring place in the historiography of the Third Reich; his February 1944 speech protesting against the obliteration bombing of Germany, made in the House of Lords, is still often considered one of the great prophetic speeches of the twentieth century. Throughout his long career, Bell became a leading light in the burgeoning ecumenical movement, a supporter of refugees from dictatorships of all kinds, a committed internationalist and a patron of the Arts. This book draws together the work of leading international historians and theologians, including Rowan Williams, and makes an important contribution to a range of ongoing political, ecumenical and international debates.Contents: Foreword; Chronology: the life and times of George Bell, 1883-1958; 'The Church and humanity': George Bell and the life of the Church in the 20th century, Andrew Chandler; 'Fulfilling Christ's own wish that we should be one': the early ecumenical work of George Bell as chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dean of Canterbury (1914-1929), Charlotte Methuen; George Bell, John Masefield and The Coming of Christ: context and significance, Peter Webster; An Indian scholar looks at Bishop George Bell, Joseph Mutharaj; 'Please tell the Bishop of Chichester': George Bell and the internment crisis of 1940, Charmian Brinson; The patronage of resistance: George Bell and the 'other Germany' during the Second World War, Andrew Chandler; George Bell, the question of Germany and the cause of European unity, 1939-1950, Philip Coupland; Bishop B