George Bell (bishop)

George Kennedy Allen Bell (born February 4, 1883 in Hayling Island, Hampshire; died October 3, 1958 in Canterbury) was an Anglican theologian, Dean of Canterbury , Bishop of Chichester, member of House of Lords and a pioneer of the Ecumenical Movement.

Related Topics:
February 4 - 1883 - Hayling Island - Hampshire - October 3 - 1958 - Canterbury - Anglican - Theologian - Dean of Canterbury - Bishop of Chichester - House of Lords - Ecumenical Movement

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Bell's earlier career was shaped by his appointment as chaplain (meaning private

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secretary) to Archbishop Randall Davidson, one of

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the key figures in twentieth century church history. Bell subsequently wrote the

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standard biography of Davidson.

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Later he became Bishop of Chichester.

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After 1933, Bell became the most important international ally of the Confessing Church in Germany. He was a close friend of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who often informed Bell of what was going on in Germany. Bell used his authority as a leader in the Ecumenical Leader and since 1938 as Lord Spiritual to influence public opinion in Britain and the Nazi authorities in Berlin.

Related Topics:
1933 - Confessing Church - Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Lord Spiritual

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His public support is said to have contributed to Pastor Martin Niemoeller's survival.

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In winter 1938/39 he helped 90 persons, mainly Pastors' families, to emigrate from Germany to Great Britain who were in danger because they had Jewish ancestors or were opponents of the Nazi regime.

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During World War II Bell repeatedly condemned the Allied practice of area bombing.

Related Topics:
World War II - Area bombing

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He informed Anthony Eden of the German resistance movement and tried in vain to gain the British government's support for them.

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As a member of the House of Lords, he was a consistent parliamentary critic of area bombing along with Richard Stokes and Alfred Salter labour party MPs in the House of Commons. In November 1939 he had published an article stating that the Church in wartime should not hesitate

Related Topics:
House of Lords - Richard Stokes - Alfred Salter - MPs - House of Commons

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:"...to condemn the infliction of reprisals, or the bombing of civilian populations, by the military forces of its own nation. It should set itself against the propaganda of lies and hatred. It should be ready to encourage the resumption of friendly relations with the enemy nation. It should set its face against any war of extermination or enslavement, and any measures directly aimed to destroy the morale of a population." (quoted in Paul Johnson, A History of Christianity, Macmillan Press, 1976, p. 493).

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In 1941 in a letter to The Times he called the bombing of unarmed women and children "barbarian" which would destroy the just cause for the war. On February 14, 1943 - two years ahead of the Dresden raids - he urged the House of Lords to resist the War Cabinets decision for area bombing. As a close friend of the German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer Bell knew precise details of German plans to assassinate Adolf Hitler. So in 1942 he asked Anthony Eden to declare publicly the British would make a distinction between the Nazi regime and German people. After July 20, 1944, he harshly criticised the British government it had doomed German resistors against Hitler to fail. That year, during debate, he again demanded the House of Lords to stop British area bombing as a crime against humanity and asked:

Related Topics:
The Times - Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Adolf Hitler - Anthony Eden

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:"How can the War Cabinet fail to see that this progressive devastation of cities is threatening the roots of civilization?"

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In 1944 the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Temple, died after only two years in that

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post. Bell was considered a leading possibility to succeed him, but in fact it was

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Geoffrey Fisher, Bishop of London, who was appointed. Bishops of the Church of England

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were chosen ultimately by the Prime Minister, and it is known that Winston Churchill

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strongly disapproved of Bell's speeches against bombing. It has often been asserted that

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Bell would otherwise have been appointed, but this is debatable: there is evidence that

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Temple had thought Fisher a likely successor anyway. In hindsight, many Anglicans wish

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that Bell had been appointed, which has tended to colour opinions.

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