On the eve of WW2, Bishop George Bell of Chichester, and then Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple, backed calls for European unity against a rising tide of nationalism.
According to historian Dr Andrew Chandler (1), Bishop Bell and Archbishop Temple argued that:
- Christian faith shaped Europe for centuries.
- Christian worship persisted in churches despite hostilities.
- Christian principles permeated Europe institutions.
- Christian values represent a firmer foundation than nation states will ever do.
(1) “George Bell, Bishop of Chichester – Church, State, and Resistance in the Age of Dictatorship” by Andrew Chandler (Eerdmann 2016)
The Bell Society 