A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising (Hardback)
The Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie (author)- 5+ in stock
From Spooner’s befuddlement to the notorious ‘mad mermaid of Morwenstow’, Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie serves up a unique and quintessentially English treasury. A gem of ecclesiastical eccentricity.
Judge not, lest ye be judged.
This timeless wisdom has guided the Anglican Church for hundreds of years, fostering a certain tolerance of eccentricity among its members.
Good thing, too.
The 'Mermaid of Morwenstow' excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. 'Mad Jack' swapped his surplice for a leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin.
And then there was the man who, like Noah's evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God's creatures...
In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. After all, who cares if you're wearing red high heels when there are souls to be saved?
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
ISBN: 9781786074416
Number of pages: 192
Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Eye-popping tales of lunacy, debauchery and depravity...Butler-Gallie, knows whereof he writes, being a curate himself, and he has done a splendid job presenting a smorgasbord of most peculiar parsons.' -- Sebastian Shakespeare, The Daily Mail
'The Church of England has produced some real oddballs in its time, and this is an entertaining gallop through several centuries' worth of them...Butler-Gallie has done his homework, digging out some rare gems...This is the story not just of eccentrics, but also of a leisured age that is no more.' - Harry Mount, The Spectator
'Wonderfully entertaining...A hilarious yet thoughtful reminder that the Christian faith wasn't always thought incompatible with a sense of humour or a healthy bolshiness.' - The Sunday Times
'It may have the makings of a modern classic...Butler-Gallie chronicles not just Anglican follies, but also human weaknesses which we all share and with which we can perhaps sympathise.' - The Catholic Herald
'This is a ridiculously enjoyable book: funny, compassionate, and wonderfully well-written.' - Tom Holland
'A delightful, sympathetic, humorous and earthed cocktail of quirky English clergy.' - The Rt Revd David Wilbourne
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“Oh, my!”
Yet another surprisingly educational book chronicling some peculiar corner of history.
You really don't need to be religious (I'm not) or English (I am, mostly...) to read this. It is - plain and simple -...
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“Excellent”
a fun read full of interesting anecdotes. Easy to read and hard to put down.
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