Alexander Roper Vidler
Encyclopedia
Alexander Roper "Alec" Vidler OGS
(1899–1991) was a noted English Anglican priest, theologian and historian of religion.
he worked in a family business, and served briefly in the British Army. He was then an undergraduate at Selwyn College, Cambridge
, and attended Wells Theological College
and the Oratory House, Cambridge.
Initially, after his ordination, he was a curate in a poor parish in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was then a curate and acting parish priest in Birmingham
; he was one of the Anglo-Catholic clergy setting up a confrontation with the bishop, Ernest William Barnes
, centred on the parish of Small Heath
.
In 1938 Vidler became editor of Theology and librarian at Hawarden
. There he was promoted to Warden of St. Deiniol's Library, and encouraged Gordon Dunstan who was in a junior position, before becoming Canon of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. During World War II
he was one of the regular participants in J. H. Oldham
's discussion group, "The Moot". In 1946 he published with Walter Alexander Whitehouse Natural Law: A Christian re-consideration based on ecumenical meetings at St Deiniol's Library including Hans Ehrenberg
, Hubert Cunliffe-Jones
, Richard Kelwe, Gerhard Leibholz, Philip Mairet
, Richard O'Sullivan K.C., and Victor White
.
Later he taught at the University of Cambridge, where he was Dean of King's College
and supervised the doctorate of David Nicholls.
, whom he met as an undergraduate at Selwyn. Through Vidler's influence Muggeridge lived at the Oratory House in Cambridge in his last student year; Muggeridge later described Vidler as one of three most important people in his life. At the Oratory House in Cambridge in 1933 he encountered Wilfred Knox, then the only other inhabitant. Penelope Fitzgerald
, who calls Vidler "this great priest, theologian, and natural administrator and organiser, whose horizon widened year by year", describes how Vidler brought the retiring Knox into circulation in the University.
He was the editor of Theology until the 1950s and the author of several books that received wide attention. He also edited, with Philip Mairet, Frontier (journal of the ecumenical Christian Frontier Group), until 1953. Paul Tillich
was one of his favorite theologians. Vidler was interested in translating theology into the language of the people, but in the process he was willing to set aside many traditional teachings. He is noted for his correspondence with C. S. Lewis
, who wrote for Theology, and is mentioned in several of Lewis's books, particularly in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
.
In 1958 Vidler published a book called Windsor Sermons. At the time he was Dean of King’s College, Cambridge. In one sermon in that book, Vidler had contended of miracles that "the Fourth gospel does not call it a 'miracle' . . . but a ‘sign’. It should be read more as a parable than as a miracle." Lewis took issue with this position as a distortion of the natural reading of the text of Scripture. A symposium, held under the title "Soundings," was turned into a book by that title with Vidler editing the book and contributing to it. In Objections to Christian Belief, Vidler wrote of the “striking inconsistencies” in the New Testament writers.
Oratory of the Good Shepherd
The Oratory of the Good Shepherd is a dispersed international community of Anglicans, ordained and lay, bound by a common rule of celibate chastity, responsible spending, and direction of life.The OGS Rule calls members of the Oratory to daily Communion, Private Prayer, and the Office...
(1899–1991) was a noted English Anglican priest, theologian and historian of religion.
Biography
Vidler was born in Rye, Sussex, the son of Leopold Amon Vidler who had recently married Edith Hamilton Roper. During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he worked in a family business, and served briefly in the British Army. He was then an undergraduate at Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...
, and attended Wells Theological College
Wells Theological College
Wells Theological College began operation in 1840 within the Cathedral Close of Wells Cathedral. In 1971 it merged with Salisbury Theological College, the students moved to Salisbury, and the new institution became known as the Salisbury & Wells Theological College, now Sarum College.The official...
and the Oratory House, Cambridge.
Initially, after his ordination, he was a curate in a poor parish in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was then a curate and acting parish priest in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
; he was one of the Anglo-Catholic clergy setting up a confrontation with the bishop, Ernest William Barnes
Ernest William Barnes
Ernest William Barnes FRS was an English mathematician and scientist who later became a theologian and bishop....
, centred on the parish of Small Heath
Small Heath, Birmingham
Small Heath is an inner-city area within the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is situated on and around the A45 ....
.
In 1938 Vidler became editor of Theology and librarian at Hawarden
Hawarden
Hawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858...
. There he was promoted to Warden of St. Deiniol's Library, and encouraged Gordon Dunstan who was in a junior position, before becoming Canon of St. George's Chapel, Windsor. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was one of the regular participants in J. H. Oldham
J. H. Oldham
Joseph Houldsworth Oldham , known as J. H. or Joe, was a Scottish missionary in India, who became a significant figure in Christian ecumenism, though never ordained in the United Free Church as he had wished.-Life:...
's discussion group, "The Moot". In 1946 he published with Walter Alexander Whitehouse Natural Law: A Christian re-consideration based on ecumenical meetings at St Deiniol's Library including Hans Ehrenberg
Hans Ehrenberg
Hans Philipp Ehrenberg was a German theologian. One of the co-founders of the Confessing Church, he was forced to emigrate to England because of his Jewish ancestry and his opposition to National Socialism....
, Hubert Cunliffe-Jones
Hubert Cunliffe-Jones
The Reverend Professor Hubert Cunliffe-Jones was an Australian-born Congregational church minister and author, who became Chairman of the Congregational Union of England and Wales and a Professor at the University of Manchester. He was an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from the University of Edinburgh...
, Richard Kelwe, Gerhard Leibholz, Philip Mairet
Philip Mairet
Philip Mairet was a designer, writer and journalist. He had a wide range of interest: crafts, Alfred Adler and psychiatry, and Social Credit. He was also a translator of major figures including Sartre. He wrote biographies of Sir Patrick Geddes and A. R...
, Richard O'Sullivan K.C., and Victor White
Victor White (Dominican)
Victor Francis White was a Dominican priest who corresponded and collaborated with Carl Gustav Jung. He was initially impressed with Jung's "Antwort auf Hiob", but later became disillusioned with the work. His works include "Soul and Psyche" and "God and the Unconscious"...
.
Later he taught at the University of Cambridge, where he was Dean of King's College
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
and supervised the doctorate of David Nicholls.
Influence
He was a lifelong friend of Malcolm MuggeridgeMalcolm Muggeridge
Thomas Malcolm Muggeridge was an English journalist, author, media personality, and satirist. During World War II, he was a soldier and a spy...
, whom he met as an undergraduate at Selwyn. Through Vidler's influence Muggeridge lived at the Oratory House in Cambridge in his last student year; Muggeridge later described Vidler as one of three most important people in his life. At the Oratory House in Cambridge in 1933 he encountered Wilfred Knox, then the only other inhabitant. Penelope Fitzgerald
Penelope Fitzgerald
Penelope Fitzgerald was a Booker Prize-winning English novelist, poet, essayist and biographer. In 2008, The Times included her in a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".-Early life:...
, who calls Vidler "this great priest, theologian, and natural administrator and organiser, whose horizon widened year by year", describes how Vidler brought the retiring Knox into circulation in the University.
He was the editor of Theology until the 1950s and the author of several books that received wide attention. He also edited, with Philip Mairet, Frontier (journal of the ecumenical Christian Frontier Group), until 1953. Paul Tillich
Paul Tillich
Paul Johannes Tillich was a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. Tillich was one of the most influential Protestant theologians of the 20th century...
was one of his favorite theologians. Vidler was interested in translating theology into the language of the people, but in the process he was willing to set aside many traditional teachings. He is noted for his correspondence with C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
, who wrote for Theology, and is mentioned in several of Lewis's books, particularly in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer
Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer is a book by C.S. Lewis posthumously published in 1964. The book takes the form of a series of letters to a fictional friend, "Malcolm", in which Lewis meditates on prayer as an intimate dialogue between man and God...
.
In 1958 Vidler published a book called Windsor Sermons. At the time he was Dean of King’s College, Cambridge. In one sermon in that book, Vidler had contended of miracles that "the Fourth gospel does not call it a 'miracle' . . . but a ‘sign’. It should be read more as a parable than as a miracle." Lewis took issue with this position as a distortion of the natural reading of the text of Scripture. A symposium, held under the title "Soundings," was turned into a book by that title with Vidler editing the book and contributing to it. In Objections to Christian Belief, Vidler wrote of the “striking inconsistencies” in the New Testament writers.
Writings
- A Plain Man's Guide to Christianity: Essays in Liberal Catholicism (1936)
- Prophecy and Papacy: A Study of Lamennais, the Church, and the Revolution (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1954)
- Windsor Sermons (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1958)
- The Church in an Age of Revolution: 1789 to the Present Day (The Pelican History of the Church, Vol. 5, 1961)
- Soundings: Essays Concerning Christian Understanding (editor) (Cambridge University Press, 1962); Vidler's chapter is entitled "Religion and the National Church."
- Objections to Christian Belief (Penguin Books, 1963) with contributions by four Cambridge deans—James Stanley Bezzant of St. John’s College, Alec Vidler of King’s College, H. A. Williams of Trinity College, and Donald MacKinnon
- 20th Century Defenders of the Faith (1965)
- A Variety of Catholic Modernists (Cambridge University Press, 1970)
- Paul, envoy extraordinary (co-authored with Malcolm Muggeridge) (New York: Harper & Row, 1972)
External links
- Alec R. Vidler biography Librarything.com