Cosmo Gordon Lang - Knowledge

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Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England." Supposedly the archbishop fumbled with the Crown but Lang himself was fully satisfied: "I can only be thankful to God's over-ruling Providence and trust that the Coronation may not be a mere dream of the past, but that its memories and lessons will not be forgotten." He also said of the Coronation: "It was in a sense the culminating day of my official life. Once I saw it was going well, I enjoyed every minute." "Thank God that is over!" said his chaplain, as they got into the car to leave. "Lumley, how can you say such a thing!" cried the archbishop. "I only wish it was beginning over again."

985: 1135: 999: 513: 1113:, Lang's future successor at both York and Canterbury, who was then an undergraduate at Oxford. Temple observed that, in contrast to the Bishop of London's sermons, listening to Lang brought on an intellectual rather than emotional pleasure: "I can remember all his points, just because their connexion is inevitable.... And for me, there is no doubt that this is the more edifying by far." Lang was a member of the cathedral's governing body, the Dean and Chapter, and was responsible for the organisation of special occasions, such as the service of thanksgiving for King 1520:, although again no agreement could be reached with the non-episcopal Free Churches. On an issue of greater concern to ordinary people, the Conference gave limited approval, for the first time, to the use of contraceptive devices, an issue in which Lang had no interest. Through the 1930s Lang continued to work for Church unity. In 1933 the Church of England assembly formed a Council on Foreign Relations and, in the following years, numerous exchange visits with Orthodox delegations took place, a process only halted by the outbreak of war. Lang's 1939 visit to the 1679:. In mid-1936 it became clear that the King intended to marry Simpson either before or shortly after his impending coronation, depending on the timing of her divorce from her husband. Lang agonised over whether he could, with good conscience, administer the Coronation Oath to the king in such circumstances, bearing in mind the Church's teaching on marriage. He confided to his diary his hopes that circumstances might change, or that he might be able to persuade the King to reconsider his actions, but the King refused to meet him. Lang kept close contact with 4868: 323: 937:

dozen curates serving the five districts of the parish. He quickly resumed the kind of urban parish work he had carried out in Leeds; he founded a Sunday afternoon men's conference with 300 men, and supervised the construction of a large conference hall as a centre for parish activities. He also pioneered the establishment of parochial church councils long before they were given legal status in 1919. Outside his normal parish duties, Lang served as chaplain to the local prison, and became acting chaplain to the 2nd Hampshire

68: 1790: 1500: 1901: 6569: 1390:, he promoted an "Appeal to all Christian People", described by Hastings as "one of the rare historical documents that does not get forgotten with the years". It was unanimously adopted as the Conference's Resolution 9, and ended: "We ... ask that all should unite in a new and great endeavour to recover and to manifest to the world the unity of the Body of Christ for which He prayed." Despite initial warmth from the English 6581: 1706:. Two days later Lang broadcast a speech, in which he said: "From God he received a high and sacred trust. Yet by his own will he has ... surrendered the trust." The king's motive had been "a craving for private happiness" that he had sought "in a manner inconsistent with the Christian principles of marriage". The speech was widely condemned for its lack of charity towards the departed king and provoked the writer 6593: 1691:(the King's Private Secretary). The king believed that Lang's influence was strong, later recalling how from beginning to end he felt the archbishop's "shadowy, hovering presence" in the background. The king's view was accurate; Lang met with Baldwin on seven occasions during the crisis, an "unusual" frequency, and "made the most of his opportunities" to influence Baldwin into taking a firm line. 1730:, Lang's secretary and chaplain, wrote in his diary entry for Tuesday 15 December; "A perfect deluge of letters – the majority abusive and even vituperative", and went as far as to venture a rare criticism of his master; "C. C. was a little unfair to the poor King. I wish had submitted his address to one of us beforehand but...he trusted his own judgement – which...was...slightly at fault". 1100:(CEMS), which had been founded in 1899 by the merger of numerous organisations doing the same work. Initially he found it "a very sickly infant", but under his leadership it expanded rapidly, and soon had over 20,000 members in 600 branches. Later he became critical of the Church's failure to use this movement effectively, calling it one of the Church's lost opportunities. 6557: 1535:, produced what was according to the church historian Adrian Hastings "the most serious approach to the problems of society that the Church had yet managed", but without Lang's close involvement. By this time Lang's identification with the poor had largely vanished, as had his interest in social reform. In the Church Assembly his closest ally was the aristocratic 1254:, which after several years' work was inaugurated in 1914. In the years following his appointment, Lang spoke out on a range of social and economic issues, and in support of improved working conditions. After taking his seat in the House of Lords in February 1909, he made his maiden speech in November in the debate on the controversial 499:. On retirement in 1942 Lang was raised to the peerage as Baron Lang of Lambeth and continued to attend and speak in House of Lords debates until his death in 1945. Lang himself believed that he had not lived up to his own high standards. Others have praised his qualities of industry, his efficiency and his commitment to his calling. 1258:, advising the Lords against their intention to reject this measure. He cast his first Lords vote against rejection, because he was "deeply convinced of the unwisdom of the course the Lords proposed to take". Although his speech was received with respect, Lang's stance was politely reproved by the leading Conservative peer 1066:; he was responsible for bringing the latter back to regular communion in the Church. In 1905 he and Lansbury joined the Central London Unemployed Body, set up by the government to tackle the region's unemployment problems. That same year Lang took as his personal assistant a young Cambridge graduate and clergyman's son, 623:. Long afterwards Lang commented on the inability of some of these eminent figures to handle "the Scottish boors who formed a large part of their classes". Lang was most strongly influenced by Caird, who gave the boy's mind "its first real awakening". Lang recalled how, in a revelation as he was passing through 1877:

many believed it could have been larger and deeper. While Lang's oratorical and administrative gifts were beyond doubt, Hastings nevertheless claims that as Archbishop of Canterbury, Lang displayed no effective leadership or guidance, turning away from reform and content to be the "final sentinel to the

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approach to the Prayer Book controversy helped to defuse a potentially explosive situation and contributed to an eventual solution. Lang himself was gloomy about his legacy; he believed that since he had not led his country back into an Age of Faith, or marked his primacy with a great historical act,

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magazine article described Lang as "forthright and voluble" and as looking "like George Washington". Lang's first three years at Canterbury were marked by intermittent illnesses, which required periods of convalescence away from his duties. After 1932, he enjoyed good health for the rest of his life.

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coronation in 1911, Lang became increasingly close to the Royal Family, an association which drew the comment that he was "more courtier than cleric". His love of ceremony, and concern for how an archbishop should look and live, began to obscure other aspects of his ministry; rather than assuming the

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home. Afterwards he talked with the Queen who, Lang records, suggested that he should marry. Lang replied that he could not afford to as his curates cost too much. He added: "If a curate proves unsatisfactory I can get rid of him. A wife is a fixture." He was summoned on several more occasions and in

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Portsea, covering much of the town of Portsmouth, was a dockside parish of around 40,000 inhabitants with a mixture of housing ranging from neat terraces to squalid slums. The large, recently rebuilt church held more than 2,000 people. Lang arrived in June 1896 to lead a team of more than a

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In Glasgow, Lang attended the Park School, a day establishment where he won a prize for an essay on English literature and played the occasional game of football; otherwise, he recorded, "I was never greatly interested in proceedings." Holidays were spent in different parts of Scotland, most notably

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Despite Lang's long involvement with the poorest of society, after becoming Archbishop of York he increasingly detached himself from everyday life. The historian Tom Buchanan wrote that Lang's sympathy with ordinary people was replaced by "an upper class affectation and a delight in the high society

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Lang often spoke in the House of Lords about the treatment of Russian Christians in the Soviet Union. He also denounced the anti-semitic policies of the German government, and he took private steps to help European Jews. In 1938 he was instrumental in saving 60 rabbis from Burgenland, who would have

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Much of the work in the district was supported by the East London Church Fund, established in 1880 to provide for additional clergy and lay workers in the poorest districts. Lang preached in wealthier parishes throughout Southern England, and urged his listeners to contribute to the Fund. He resumed

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As Lang's chaplain and secretary, Don had a ringside seat at the abdication crisis and, despite Lang's noted reticence, remained remarkably well-informed. His entry for 20 January 1936, some 10 months before the crisis became public knowledge, reads; "That the Prince of Wales would like to make way

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on the south coast, but he was not ready to leave Oxford and refused. Some months later he had further thoughts; the strain of his dual appointment in Oxford was beginning to tell and, he claimed, "the thought of this great parish and work going a-begging troubled my conscience." After discovering

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with the college's undergraduates and responsibility for the chapel and its choir. Lang was delighted with this latter obligation; his concern for the purity of the choir's sound led him to request that visitors "join in the service silently". In 1894 Lang was asked to add to his workload by acting

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parish church. By his own account, during the sermon he was gripped by "a masterful inward voice" which told him "You are wanted. You are called. You must obey." He immediately severed his connection with the Bar, renounced his political ambitions and applied for a place at Cuddesdon College. With

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television history of the British monarchy maintained that Lang "held a view of Christianity in which the monarchy, rather than the cross, stood centre stage as the symbol of the nation's faith". Successive generations of the Royal Family considered him their friend and honoured him. King George V

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According to Lockhart he was a complex character in whom "a jangle of warring personalities... never reached agreement among themselves." Lockhart writes that while Lang's many years of high office saw progress in the cause of Christian reunion, the mark he left on the Church was relatively small;

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on social insurance, and on 9 February 1944 he reiterated his earlier opposition to obliteration bombing. In October 1944 Lang was greatly distressed by the sudden death of William Temple, his successor at Canterbury, writing: "I don't like to think of the loss to the Church and Nation... But 'God

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magazine recorded: "All through the three-hour ceremony, the most important person there was not the King, his nobles or his ministers, but a hawk-nosed old gentleman with a cream-&-gold cope who stood on a dais as King George approached: The Rt. Hon. and Most Reverend Cosmo Gordon Lang, D.D..

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of September 1938 to be a day of thanksgivings for the "sudden lifting of this cloud". Earlier that year, contrary to his former stance, he had supported the Anglo-Italian agreement to recognise the conquest of Abyssinia, because he believed that "an increase of appeasement" was necessary to avoid

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When war broke out in August 1914, Lang concluded that the conflict was righteous, and that younger clergy should be encouraged to serve as military chaplains, although it was not their duty to fight. He thereafter was active in recruiting campaigns throughout his province. At a meeting in York in

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Lang's appointment as a canon of St Paul's Cathedral required him to spend three months annually as the canon in residence, with administrative and preaching duties. Following his appointment as canon, he was also appointed treasurer of the cathedral. His preaching on Sunday afternoons caught the

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In a letter of 25 November, marked "strictly confidential", Lang had written to Baldwin, in advance of the latter's meeting with the king later in the day; "The leakage will soon become a flood and will burst the dam. Any announcement...of the kind you indicated to me should be made as soon as

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Although Lang was a bishop in England for longer than anyone else in the twentieth century, Hastings says that "of no other is it so hard to address his true significance". His biographer George Moyser said, "His lasting significance is questionable. He was immensely industrious, an exceptional

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who had earlier praised Lang's work for church unity, said that Lang's failure to take a lead after the Prayer Book rejection of 1928 meant that the Church of England had been unable to revise its forms of worship or take any effective control of its own affairs. Others have argued that Lang's

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During 1941 Lang considered retirement. His main concern was that a Lambeth Conference – "perhaps the most fateful Lambeth Conference ever held" – would need to be called soon after the war. Lang felt that he would be too old to lead it and that he should make way for a younger man, preferably

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Lang avoided continuation of the Prayer Book controversy of 1928 by allowing the parliamentary process to lapse. He then authorised a statement permitting use of the rejected Book locally if the parochial church council gave approval. The issue remained dormant for the rest of Lang's tenure at

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Lang's relationship with his curates was generally formal. They were aware of his ambition and felt that he sometimes spent too much time on his outside interests such as his All Souls Fellowship, but were nevertheless impressed by his efficiency and his powers of oratory. The Church historian

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Lang's region of Stepney within the Diocese of London extended over the whole area generally known as London's East End, with two million people in more than 200 parishes. Almost all were poor, and housed in overcrowded and insanitary conditions. Lang knew something of the area from his

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singles out Portsea under Lang as an example of "extremely disciplined pastoral professionalism". Lang may have realised that he was destined for high office; he is reported to have practised the signature "Cosmo Cantuar" during a relaxed discussion with his curates ("Cantuar" is part of the

627:, he expressed aloud his sudden conviction that: "The Universe is one and its Unity and Ultimate Reality is God!" He acknowledged that his greatest failure at the university was his inability to make any progress in his understanding of mathematics, "to me, then and always, unintelligible". 789:

In October 1888 Lang was elected to an All Souls Fellowship, and began to divide his time between London and Oxford. Some of his Oxford friends were training for ordination and Lang was often drawn into their discussions. Eventually the question entered Lang's mind: "Why shouldn't

1671:, Edward had not always been wise in his choice of friends and acquaintances, whose standards Lang was later to condemn as "alien to all the best instincts and traditions of his people". The archbishop had been aware for some time of the King's relationship with the American 896:

and Benjamin Jowett wished him to return to Balliol as a tutor in theology. Lang chose Magdalen; the idea of being in charge of young men who might in the future achieve positions of responsibility was attractive to him and, in October 1893, with many regrets, he left Leeds.

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of 1921–26, though not directly involved. These were informal meetings between leading British Anglo-Catholics and reform-minded European Roman Catholics, exploring the possibility of reuniting the Anglican and Roman communions. Although the discussions had the blessing of

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At an early stage in his priesthood Lang decided to lead a celibate life. He had no objection to the institution of marriage, but felt that his own work would be hindered by domesticity. However, he enjoyed the company of women and confessed in 1928, after a visit to the

1702:, made an indirect comment on the King's "need for Divine Grace". By then the king had unalterably decided that he would abdicate rather than give up Wallis Simpson. All attempts to dissuade him failed, and on 11 December he gave up his throne in favour of his brother, 1884:

In Hastings's view, Lang was probably more sympathetic to Rome than any other Church of England archbishop of modern times, responsible for a discreet catholicisation of the Church of England's practices. A small outward indication of this was his decision to use a

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When the Second World War began in September 1939, Lang saw his main duty as the preservation of spiritual values during what he deemed to be an honourable conflict. He opposed strategies such as indiscriminate bombing, and on 21 December 1940, in a letter to

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persuaded Lang that he should study at the college; the following January he sat and passed the entrance examination. When he discovered that as part of his degree studies he would be examined in mathematics, his enthusiasm disappeared. Instead, he applied to

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in 1935, appealing for medical supplies to be sent to the Abyssinian troops. As the threat of war increased later in the decade, Lang became a strong supporter of the government's policy of appeasing the European dictators, declaring the Sunday after the

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had begun his Oxford ministry in 1828. The church had almost ceased to function when Lang took it over, but he revived regular services, chose preachers with care and slowly rebuilt the congregation. In December 1895 he was offered the post of Vicar of

778:, whose "vehement radicalism was an admirable stimulus and corrective to liberal Conservatism". During these years Lang was largely aloof from religion, but continued churchgoing out of what he termed "hereditary respect". He attended services at the 1664:. The new king was wary of Lang, whom he had once admired. Edward now found Lang to be "rather ... accustomed to the company of princes and statesmen, more interested in the pursuit of prestige and power than the abstractions of the human soul". 1659:

Lang was responsible for drafting King George V's silver jubilee broadcast message in 1935, and the King's last two Christmas messages. This closeness to the throne was not maintained when the king died in January 1936 and was succeeded by his son,

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of 1937, which liberalised the divorce laws – Lang believed "it was no longer possible to impose the full Christian standard by law on a largely non-Christian population." He drew criticism for his opposition to the reform of the ancient

1781:, prime minister since May 1940, were difficult because "he knows nothing about the Church, its life, its needs or its personnel". There was therefore "uncertainty as to what motives or how much knowledge may determine his decisions ". 971:. These visits to Osborne were the start of a close association with the Royal Family which lasted for the rest of Lang's life. As one of the Queen's chaplains, he assisted in the funeral arrangements after her death in January 1901. 1422:. The focus of this revision, which Lang supported, was to make concessions to Anglo-Catholic rituals and practices in the Anglican service. The new Prayer Book was overwhelmingly approved by the Church's main legislative body, the 1489:, that he would be the successor; William Temple would succeed Lang at York. Lang was enthroned as the new Archbishop of Canterbury on 4 December 1928, the first bachelor to hold the appointment in 150 years. A contemporary 769:

Lang's career ambition from early in life was to practise law, enter politics and then take office in some future Conservative administration. In 1887 he began his studies for the English Bar, working in the London chambers of

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sought in vain to prevent its confirmation. Strong opponents of Anglo-Catholic practices, they maintained that as Bishop of Stepney Lang had "connived at and encouraged flagrant breaking of the law relating to church ritual".

737:, Vicar of St Jude's, Whitechapel. Barnett became the settlement's first leader, while Lang became one of its first undergraduate secretaries. He spent so much time on these duties that he was chided by the Master of Balliol, 811:. Lang's decision to become an Anglican and seek ordination disappointed his Presbyterian father, who nevertheless wrote to his son: "What you think, prayerfully and solemnly, you ought to do – you must do – we will accept." 1945:

in 1924, Lang reportedly remarked to Bishop Hensley Henson of Durham that the portrait showed him as "proud, prelatical and pompous". Henson's recorded reply was "To which of these epithets does Your Grace take exception?"

1314:. He applied all his organisational skills to the Archbishop of Canterbury's National Mission of Repentance and Hope, an initiative designed to renew Christian faith nationwide, but it failed to make a significant impact. 785:

church and sometimes went to St Paul's Cathedral. Of his life at that time he said: "I must confess that I played sometimes with those external temptations that our Christian London flaunts in the face of its young men."

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On the domestic front, Lang supported campaigns for the abolition of the death penalty. He upheld the right of the Church to refuse the remarriage of divorced persons within its buildings, but he did not directly oppose

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William Temple. On 27 November he informed the prime minister, Winston Churchill, of his decision to retire on 31 March 1942. His last official act in office, on 28 March, was the confirmation of Princess Elizabeth.

1303:, drastically altered Lang's relatively youthful appearance to that of a bald and elderly-looking man. His friends were shocked; the king, meeting him on the Royal train, apparently burst into guffaws of laughter. 1298:

kneeling with King Edward VII at the bier of Queen Victoria. These remarks, perceived as pro-German, produced what Lang termed "a perfect hail of denunciation". The strain of this period, coupled with the onset of

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on 25 January 1909. In 18 years since ordination he had risen to the second-highest position in the Church of England. In addition to his diocesan responsibilities for York itself, he became head of the entire

1926:(GCVO), a rare honour which, like the Royal Victorian Chain, lay in the private gift of the Sovereign. A friend, commenting on the transformation of Lang's perspective, said of him: "He might have been 1733:

Lang did not disguise his relief that the crisis was over. He wrote of George VI: "I was now sure that to the solemn words of the Coronation there would now be a sincere response." On 12 May 1937, Lang

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to do so. Lang believed that in relation to the supreme truths of the church, rituals and dress were of small account, but that if people's worship was assisted by such customs they should be allowed.

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said that Lang was "not only a great cleric but a great man... we have lost in him a Father in God." His body was cremated and the ashes taken to the Chapel of St Stephen Martyr, a side chapel at

877:. He later moved next door, into a condemned property which became his home for his remaining service in Leeds. In addition to his normal parish duties, Lang acted temporarily as Principal of the 3321: 1849:

to catch the London train, he collapsed and was taken to hospital, but was found to be dead on arrival. A post-mortem attributed the death to heart failure. In paying tribute the following day,

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In 1933, having commented on the "noble task" of assisting India towards independence, he was appointed to the Joint Committee on the Indian Constitution. He condemned the Italian invasion of

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Lang was looking for a thread of red wool on the crown, which he had placed to allow him to align it with the centre of king's forehead, but it had been removed, in error, by an assistant.

544:, and his wife Hannah Agnes Lang. Cosmo was baptised at Fyvie church by a neighbouring minister, the name "William" being added inadvertently to his given names, perhaps because the local 460:. This troubled him greatly and may have contributed to the rapid ageing which affected his appearance during the war years. After the war he began to promote church unity and at the 1920 873:. Lang's district was the Kirkgate, one of the poorest areas, many of whose 2,000 inhabitants were prostitutes. Lang and his fellow curates fashioned a clergy house from a derelict 1777:

After Germany's attack on Russia in June 1941, Lang said that the Russians must now be regarded as allies, without forgetting or condoning the excesses of the past. His relations with

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Archbishop Davidson resigned in July 1928, believed to have been the first Archbishop of Canterbury ever to retire voluntarily. On 26 July Lang was notified by the Prime Minister,

456:". This radicalism was not maintained in subsequent years. At the start of the First World War, Lang was heavily criticised for a speech in which he spoke sympathetically of the 686:, described by his biographer John Gilbert Lockhart as "the Blue Ribbon of history scholarship at any University of the British Isles". In February 1883 his first speech at the 2738: 1306:

Public hostility against Lang was slow to subside, re-emerging from time to time throughout the war. Lang continued his contribution to the war effort, paying visits to the

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he had failed to live up to his own high standard. Others have judged him more charitably, praising his industry, his administrative ability and his devotion to duty.

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Lang's most recent biographer considers that his broadcast was "arguably the biggest mistake of his primacy." The volume, and vehemence, of the reaction were immense.

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undergraduate activities at Toynbee Hall, and his conscience was troubled by the squalor that he saw as he travelled around the district, usually by bus and tram.

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Leeds Parish Church, rebuilt and reconsecrated in 1841 after an elaborate ceremony, was of almost cathedral size, the centre of a huge parish ministered by many

1088:, which warned that modern socialism was often equated with unrest, that "the cry of the demagogue is in the air" and that the Church should not heed this cry. 1414:, the Archbishop of Canterbury, many Anglican evangelicals were alarmed by them. Ultimately, the talks foundered on the entrenched opposition of the Catholic 6658: 4359: 4264: 4117: 3810: 3631: 3498: 3189: 3139: 2574: 2195: 5194: 1200:. Such a promotion for a suffragan, and within so short a period after ordination, was without recent precedent in the Church of England. Lang's friend 1398:

and non-episcopal churches, and the initiative was allowed to lapse. Historically, the Appeal is considered the starting-point for the more successful

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possible. The announcement should appear as a free act. ...he must leave as soon as possible, it would be out of the question that he should remain".

1813:. He thus remained in the House of Lords, where he attended regularly and contributed to debates. He worried about money, despite a pension, a large 1026:

of St Paul's Cathedral. These appointments reflected his growing reputation and recognised his successful ministry in working-class parishes. He was

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chocolate factory, that the sight of the girls there had "stirred up all the instincts of my youth... very little subdued by the passage of years".

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believed that Asquith deliberately recommended the youngest bishop available, after strong political lobbying for the appointment of the elderly

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of 1936, he took a strong moral stance, his comments in a subsequent broadcast being widely condemned as uncharitable towards the departed king.

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administrator, and was well-connected to leading politicians and aristocrats. But his accomplishments as Archbishop of Canterbury were modest."

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Lang continued to visit Oxford when time allowed and on a visit to All Souls in June 1893 he was offered the post of Dean of Divinity at

742: 343: 46: 2967: 6728: 6723: 6673: 6633: 6613: 4041: 3731: 3548: 2930: 6429: 5793: 1850: 4882: 832:. He rejected an offer of the chaplaincy of All Souls as he wanted to be "up and doing" in a tough parish. Lang identified with the 464:

was responsible for the Church's Appeal to All Christian People. As Archbishop of York he supported controversial proposals for the

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November 1914 he caused offence when he spoke out against excessive anti-German propaganda, and recalled a "sacred memory" of the

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Although Lang considered himself forward-thinking, he joined and became secretary of the Canning Club, the university's principal

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to an archbishopric ... But you are too meteoric for precedent." The appointment was generally well received, although the

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system, whereby many farmers paid a proportion of their income to the Church; in the subsequent "Tithe Wars", demonstrators at

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exhibition in 1933, called it a "libellous, malicious caricature" while acknowledging that it was "splendidly painted knock

1070:, who became a close friend and confidante. Sheppard was eventually ordained, becoming a radical clergyman and founder of the 6668: 5808: 4827: 4775: 4756: 4732: 4670: 4649: 4614: 4593: 4574: 4555: 4529: 4503: 4482: 4201: 3969: 1735: 484: 6718: 4895: 1626:, to present a five-point plan for the teaching of religion in state schools. These points were eventually embodied in the 1622:

ceremonially burned his effigy. Near the end of his term in office Lang led a deputation from several church groups to the

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upbringing in the Church of Scotland. His sympathies lay with the progressive wing of Anglo-Catholicism represented by the

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role of the people's prelate he began, in the words of his biographer Alan Wilkinson, to act as a "prince of the church".

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After the war, Lang's primary cause was that of church unity. In 1920, as chairman of the Reunion Committee at the Sixth

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of the Church of Scotland, was warmly received; the chairman likened his oratory to that of the Ancient Greek statesman,

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by the Germans and the Italians, on 26 April 1937, as "deplorable and shocking". In October 1937 Lang's condemnation of

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Faithful Witness: The Confidential Diaries of Alan Don, Chaplain to the King, the Archbishop and the Speaker, 1931–1946

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Faithful Witness: The Confidential Diaries of Alan Don, Chaplain to the King, the Archbishop and the Speaker, 1931–1946

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was called William Cosmo Gordon. The additional name was rarely used subsequently. In January 1865 the family moved to

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In 1908 Lang was nominated as Archbishop of York, despite his relatively junior status as a suffragan rather than a

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Despite this socially progressive stance, Lang's political instincts remained conservative. He voted against the

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Canterbury. He led the 1930 Lambeth Conference, where further progress was made in improving relations with the

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and caused consternation in traditionalist circles by speaking and voting against the Lords' proposal to reject

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The Cross and the Rising Sun: The British Protestant missionary movement in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, 1865-1945

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called this "one of the most moving and memorable visits ever paid by an Englishman to the United States".

733:. He had been first drawn to this work in 1883, after listening to a sermon in St Mary's Church, Oxford, by 6643: 6092: 6032: 1846: 1821:, and some generous cash gifts from well-wishers. In 1943 he spoke in the House of Lords in support of the 1699: 1445:, an honour in the personal gift of the Sovereign After the marriage of Prince Albert, Duke of York (later 1326: 1178:

urged him to accept, but the Archbishop of Canterbury asked him to refuse. A few weeks later a letter from

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On 5 December 1945 Lang was due to speak in a Lords debate on conditions in Central Europe. On his way to

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to which, later in life, Lang would frequently return. In 1878, at the age of 14, Lang sat and passed his

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in which his office allowed him to move". No archbishop has been as close as Lang to the Royal Family; a

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campaign, founded by Hinsley in 1940 to combat anti-democratic tendencies among Catholics. In May 1941

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In 1881 Lang made his first trip outside Scotland, to London where he heard the theologian and orator

3269: 1767: 1532: 1528:, maintained that no one in the Anglican Communion did more than Lang to promote the unity movement. 1431: 660: 650:. Later that year he travelled to Cambridge to stay with a friend who was studying there. A visit to 431: 4023: 1829: 6464: 6454: 6444: 6257: 5203: 5059: 4974: 4913: 1594: 1590: 1213: 1186:. Lang was only 44 years old, and had no experience as a diocesan bishop. On the issue of age, the 951: 885: 691: 651: 612: 366: 203: 59: 5376: 5321: 3777: 3459: 1766:, Lang expressed support for the pope's Five Peace Points initiative. Lang was sympathetic to the 6663: 6484: 6394: 6382: 6272: 6232: 5858: 5833: 5746: 5254: 5229: 5138: 5084: 4957: 1979: 1513: 1230: 1110: 825: 734: 722: 714: 639: 611:

At the university Lang's tutors included some of Scotland's leading academics: the Greek scholar

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be ordained?" The thought persisted, and one Sunday evening in early 1889, after a visit to the

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the threat of war. Lang also backed the government's non-intervention policy in regard to the

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essays, published in 1888 by a group of forward-looking Oxford theologians. Among these was

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The Seven Sermons Preached at the Consecration and Re-opening of the Parish Church at Leeds

1961: 1957: 1931: 1854: 1838: 1597:, and caused some in that church's leadership to publicly disassociate themselves from the 1525: 1453:) which lasted for the rest of Lang's life. In 1926, he baptised Princess Elizabeth (later 1358: 1341:, Lang led a service of celebration on 11 January 1918 at the Order's Grand Priory Church, 1251: 1154:

Lang after World War I. The alteration to his appearance was caused by alopecia and stress.

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Lang's liberal conservatism enabled him to associate easily with Socialist leaders such as

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that the Portsea offer was still open, he decided to accept, though with some misgiving.

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been murdered by the Nazis had the archbishop not obtained them entry visas to England.

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Lang started at Balliol in October 1882. In his first term he successfully sat for the

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minister, Lang abandoned the prospect of a legal and political career to train for the

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from British universities. His portrait was painted many times; after sitting for Sir

1426:, and by the House of Lords. Partly through the advocacy of the fervently evangelical 721:

recorded that Lang's "progressive" opinions were somewhat frowned upon by traditional

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but, after acceding to Canterbury, he took no practical steps to resolve this issue.

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in 1907 he speculated on how the Church should respond to this. His remarks reached

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tradition of the Church of England, in part, he admitted, as a reaction against his

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In 1937 the Oxford Conference on Church and Society, which later gave birth to the

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and opposed liberalisation of the divorce laws. After playing a prominent role in

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his ministry to the army when, in 1907, he was appointed Honorary Chaplain to the

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in London, where he continued his work among the poor. He also served as a

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The Unheeded Cry: The Gripping Story of Rabbi Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl

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degree, and was awarded prizes for essays on politics and church history.

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Of charity how oddly scant you are! How Lang O Lord, how full of Cantuar!

1661: 1648: 1342: 1307: 1259: 1055: 1005: 695: 369:(1928–1942). His elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his 5361: 5296: 6345: 5525: 5069: 4930: 4785:

Moyser, George (1998). "Lang, Cosmo Gordon". In F. M. Leventhal (ed.).

3322:"Resolution 9 (1920): Reunion of Christendom (Lambeth Conference 1920)" 2114: 1864:

value of Lang's estate was £29 541 (approximately £1,610,000 in 2024).

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policies of the British government. In May 1937 he presided over the

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Lang's formal signature as Archbishop of Canterbury, "Cosmo Cantuar"

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Lang became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1928. He presided over the

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for the Duke of York and his charming Duchess, I do not doubt..."

2117:- Lang signed himself C. C., Cosmo Cantuar - but can be read as 1886: 1861: 1806: 1362: 1354: 549: 358: 520:, Glasgow, to which Lang's father was appointed minister in 1873 512: 6062: 5331: 5244: 1774:, Lang's London home, was hit by bombs and made uninhabitable. 1394:, little could be achieved in terms of practical union between 1182:, the prime minister, informed Lang that he had been nominated 870: 863: 829: 678:, Oxford, where Lang was an undergraduate between 1882 and 1886 592: 2741:. Aim25 (Archives in London and the M25 area). Archived from 1890: 1615: 1593:

provoked hostile scrutiny by the Japanese authorities of the

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examinations. Despite his youth, he began his studies at the

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