Campbell West-Watson : 'boy bishop' to archbishop / Martin Sims.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 250-259) and index.

This biography of Campbell West-Watson, Bishop of Christchurch (1926-51), Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand (1940-51), traces his life through his studies at school and Cambridge University, his ordination as an Anglican priest, and several years as a don at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. It continues with his appointment as a bishop in the north of England at the unusually young age of 32, at the time earning him the unkind label of 'Boy Bishop', but he thrived and in 1925, after 16 years in this post, he was invited to become the Bishop of Christchurch. He was a good choice, was rapidly accepted and became valued throughout the Christchurch diocese as a hard-working and empathetic 'Father-in-God'. He was appointed Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand in 1940 and went on to lead the church through the Second World War with distinction. When he retired in 1951, he was the longest-serving bishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion and may well have been the only person to have served as a bishop continuously through all three of the most cataclysmic events of the 20th Century (both World Wars and the Great Depression). In addition to other aspects of his ministry, this book deals with West-Watson's contributions to the Ecumenical Movement as well as his efforts to shift the focus of the church towards its growing role in the Pacific region.

Kinder Library copy has inscription by author.