William Temple (archbishop)

Infobox Archbishop of Canterbury
Full name = William Temple


caption =
birth_name =
began = 1942
term_end = 26 October 1944
predecessor = Cosmo Lang
successor = Geoffrey Fisher
birth_date = 15 October 1881
birthplace = Exeter, England
death_date = 26 October 1944
deathplace = Westgate-on-Sea, Kent
tomb = Canterbury CathedralAnglican Portal

William Temple (15 October 1881 – 26 October 1944) was a priest in the Church of England. He would serve as Bishop of Manchester, Archbishop of York, and Archbishop of Canterbury (1942–1944).

Life

Temple was the second son of Archbishop Frederick Temple (1821-1902). He was educated at Rugby School and Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained a double first in classics. He was a fellow and lecturer in Philosophy at Queen's College, Oxford from 1904-10, and was ordained priest in 1909. Between 1910 and 1914 he was Headmaster of Repton School after which he returned to being a full time clergyman, becoming Bishop of Manchester in 1921 and Archbishop of York in 1929. In 1932-1933, he gave the Gifford Lectures.

A renowned teacher and preacher, Temple is perhaps best known for his 1942 book "Christianity and Social Order", which set out an Anglican social theology and a vision for what would constitute a just post-war society. Also in 1942, with Chief Rabbi Joseph Hertz, Temple jointly founded the Council of Christians and Jews to combat anti-Jewish bigotry.

Temple defended the working-class movement and supported economic and social reforms. As the first President (1908-1924) of the Workers' Educational Association he joined the Labour Party. He also participated in the ecumenical movement, took part in the Lausanne Conference of 1927, and helped prepare the World Conference of Churches in Edinburgh, 1937.

One of his more famous sayings (though it's hard to pin down a source) is that,

He is also the author of the quote:

cquote|Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God.

It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love, and submission of will to His purpose.

And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions of which we are capable.

However, he also refused to condemn the Allied blanket bombing of Germany, to the dismay of his numerous Quaker connections, by writing an introduction to "Christ and Our Enemies", published by the Fellowship of Reconciliation in 1941, citing the fact that he was "not only non-pacifist but anti-pacifist". (Citation: W. Temple papers 51,, Temple to Hobhouse, 26 March 1944; also Melanie Barber, "Tales of the Unexpected: Glimpses of Friends in the Archives of Lambeth Palace", Journal of the Friends Historical Society, Vol 61, No.2)

Works

Books by Temple include 'Church and Nation' (1915), 'Personal Religion and the Life of Fellowship' (1926), 'Christianity and the State' (1928), 'Nature, Man and God' (1934), 'Men Without Work' (1938), 'Christianity and the Social Order' (1942) and 'The Church Looks Forward' (1944). Perhaps his most enduring work, however, is his commentary 'Readings in St. John's Gospel' (1945/1952/1985), recently back in print. Both the introduction and the commentary itself remain timeless in assisting others to probe the depths of the fourth gospel's proclamation and mysticism.

Death and Legacy

A visit to Normandy in the summer of 1944 made Temple the first Archbishop of Canterbury to go into battle since the Middle Ages. [Hastings, Max "Overlord"]

William Temple died at Westgate-on-Sea, Kent on 26 October, 1944. He was cremated at Charing Crematorium, Kent. Dr. Temple was the first Primate of All England to be cremated and his cremation had an immense effect upon the opinion of church people not only in this country, but also throughout the whole Anglican community. His ashes are buried on the south side of Corona at his cathedral. A house at Tenison's School is named after him. There is a memorial to him at the parish church of St George in Bicknoller, Somerset where he spent his holidays from 1933-1944.cite book |title=Portrait of the Quantocks |last=Waite |first=Vincent |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1964 |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London |isbn=0709111584 |pages= ] Temple is regarded by some as the most brilliant Archbishop of Canterbury since St. Anselm of Canterbury in the late 11th and early 12th century(citation needed). Anglicans around the world celebrate his feast day on October 26th. He has also has a high school named after him - Archbishop Temple High School in Fulwood, Preston.

References