A CONTROVERSIAL CHURCHMAN

Essays on George Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand and Lichfield, and Sarah Selwyn

Allan Davidson, Editor

New Zealands frst Anglican bishop, George Selwyn, was a towering fgure in the young colony. Denounced as a turbulent priest for speaking out against Crown practices that dispossessed Maori, he brought a vigorous approach to episcopal leadership. His wife Sarah Selwyn supported all her husbands activities, in a life characterised as one of hardship and anxiety; she expressed independently her sense of outrage over the Waitara dispute. Selwyn promoted participatory church government, founded the innovative Melanesian Mission, and developed a distinctive style of colonial church architecture. More controversially, he battled with the Church Missionary Society, and was caught up in the bitter maelstrom of settler and Maori politics. His personal links with colonial and ecclesiastical networks gave him access to the heart of empire. These essays offer new insights into Selwyns role in developing pan-Anglicanism, strengthening links between the Church of England and the Episcopal and Anglican Churches in North America, and his time as Bishop of Lichfeld (186878). His place in Treaty history, as a political commentator and source of historical information, is recognised. George Selwyn left a large imprint on New Zealand church and society. This collection both honours and critiques a controversial bishop.

300 pages 240 x 170 mm 50 b&w illustrations ISBN 9781877242519

$49.99 December 2011

Author Information
Allan Davidson taught church history for many years at St Johns College and the University of Auckland. He has published extensively on religious history in New Zealand and the South Pacifc and recently edited Living Legacy: A History of the Anglican Diocese of Auckland (2011). Other contributors include: Sir Paul Reeves, Warren Limbrick, Janet Crawford, John Stenhouse, Grant Phillipson, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Bruce Kaye, Rowan Strong, Terry Brown, Ken Booth, and Judith Bright.

Phone: 04 473 8128 Email: info@bwb.co.nz www.bwb.co.nz

Distributor: HarperCollins, PO Box 1, Shortland St, Auckland Contact: customerservices@harpercollins.co.nz Sales Manager: matthew.simpson@harpercollins.co.nz

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Contents
Foreword - The Rt Revd Sir Paul Reeves Preface Introduction - Allan K. Davidson I. The Selwyns and New Zealand 1. George Selwyn as Bishop of New Zealand: Recovering Apostolicity in a Colonial Church - Warren E. Limbrick 2. Selwyn as Missionary and Colonial Bishop Allan K. Davidson 3. Sarah Selwyn: A Help not a Hindrance Janet E. Crawford 4. Selwyn Through Settler Eyes - John Stenhouse 5. High and even holy purposes: Selwyn in Treaty History - Grant Phillipson II. Selwyn and Colonial Anglicanism 6. Selwyn the Ecclesiologist in Theory and in Practice - Jonathan Mane-Wheoki 7. Selwyn and the Australasian Conference of Bishops, 1850 - Bruce Kaye 8. Bishop Selwyn and the British Empire: Imperial Networks and Colonial Outcomes Rowan Strong 9. Bishop George Augustus Selwyn in North America: Missionary Hero and Ecclesiastical Diplomat - Terry M. Brown III. Selwyn in England 10. Selwyn as Bishop of Lichfeld - Ken Booth IV. Selwyn the Writer 11. Episcopal Epistles: Selwyns Correspondence - Judith Bright Notes on Contributors List of Abbreviations List of Illustrations Endnotes Bibliography Index

New Zealand's frst Anglican Bishop was a visionary leader in the new colony, and controversial for his commitment to Maori His wife Sarah played a strong role beside him, joining Caroline Abraham and Marianne Williams (missionary wives) in speaking for Maori at a time when settler sympathies were running in other directions These essays are exceptionally good, with strong contributions from Grant Phillipson (Waitangi Tribunal member and historian) and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (head of the Elam Art School and former Director of Art at Te Papa) This is both a sympathetic portrait and a challenging analysis and with biography offering a lively engagement with history Foreword by the Hon. and Rt Revd Sir Paul Reeves

Allan Davidson, Editor

Phone: 04 473 8128 Email: info@bwb.co.nz www.bwb.co.nz

Distributor: HarperCollins, PO Box 1, Shortland St, Auckland Contact: customerservices@harpercollins.co.nz Sales Manager: matthew.simpson@harpercollins.co.nz