Challenges the tired orthodoxy that the Church of England had a bad First World War. In telling the story of the Church and its people in Colchester, a garrison town, Robert Beaken enlivens our understanding of the First World War - not only as a clash of mighty forces, but also at a personal and communal level.'The Very Rev. Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster The Church of England is popularly believed to have had a bad First World War. This book challenges that tired orthodoxy. It examines the relationship between parish churches and the Army during the war, using the important garrison town of Colchester as a case study. Colchester in 1914-18 was a microcosm both of English society and of the Church of England, in all their diversity. The presence of the Army also meant that wartime experiences and trends which were noticeable elsewhere in England were sharply felt in Colchester. For the generation of Britons who lived through the Great War, Christianity was an important part of their culture, world view and, in many instances, personal lives. To understand life on the home front during the war, it is vital to understand the part played by Christianity, and particularly by the parishes of the Church of England. With the help of newly discovered archival material, this book reassesses the relations between clergy, soldiers and civilians to show that, contrary to widely-held belief, the clergy and their parishioners responded to the crisis of 1914-18 with courage, common sense and self-sacrifice: their ministry kept much of the population going during the Great War. ROBERT BEAKEN is parish priest of St Mary the Virgin, Great Bardfield,and St Katharine, Little Bardfield, in Essex. He holds a PhD from King's College, London, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of seven works, including Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis(2012).
Reviews
Beaken.an Anglican priest and a resident of Essex.writes with a denizen's eye for detail and a scientific interest in accuracy..A pleasure to read. * HEYTHROP JOURNAL *
A well-researched and written account of how the Church of England carried out its wartime duties. It will be of interest to military, social and family historians to better understand life during that time. * ESSEX SOCIETY FOR FAMILY HISTORY *
Beaken's research is immense . . . and his writing is accessible and attractive, a combination that makes for an absorbing read. * JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES *
A well-researched and written account... [Beaken] shows a generally excellent and up-to-date sense of the wider historiography of the British home front during World War I. * CATHOLIC HISTORICAL REVIEW *
Robert Beaken shows how the Church of England typically responded to mass casualties and civilian privations. His careful research demonstrates the response to have been much better than popularly painted. * THE TIMES 'Must-read military books of the year' (The Right Rev. Nigel Stock) *
Dr Beaken's dual background as an Essex parish priest and historian, allow him to paint an informed and critical, but generally sympathetic picture of the work of the Anglican clergy and laity during the war. * JOURNAL OF ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY *
If anyone is looking for a way to understand how the Church of England worked for the first half of the twentieth century...this book would be an excellent starting place. * PRAYER BOOK TODAY *
An eminently readable work which makes a significant contribution to the on-going reappraisal of the ecclesiastical history of the war while remaining accessible to the interested non-specialist reader. * JOURNAL OF BELIEFS AND VALUES *
A captivating account of an extraordinary time in our history. The thoroughness of his research is balanced by warm and endearing personal stories as well as by some wise and helpful reflections on the issues raised. * THE MONTH [The Right Rev. Roger Morris, Bishop of Colchester] *
The publishers are to be congratulated on a handsomely produced and clearly printed book, and author and publisher on the excellent illustrations, which admirably complement the text. [A] fine book. * ANGLO-CATHOLIC HISTORY SOCIETY *
[Robert Beaken] is to be congratulated for blowing away a myth about the church and the war that has had far too much currency. * CHURCH TIMES *



Book Information
ISBN 9781783270514
Author Robert Beaken
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint The Boydell Press
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Weight(grams) 1g