The Shaping of a Soul

Richard Harries is a well-known, broadcaster, and author. He is a member of the House of Lords, and was Dean of King’s College, London, and Bishop of Oxford from 1987 to 2006. This is his autobiography. It is a very readable account of the life of a senior Bishop of the Church of England, and it is, in my view, a presentation of the most positive aspects, both rationally and spiritually, of a modern Christian faith.

His life has been remarkable and, to him, surprising. When young, he was a commissioned Army officer who had very few religious inclinations. Then occurred what he called an ‘inner volcano’ almost out of the blue, an experience calling him to be ordained as a priest. But he was no ordinary priest. From the first, he found himself engaged in major social and ethical issues – the question of nuclear disarmament, the status of the human embryo, Apartheid in South Africa, and ethical investment by the Church Commissioners. On all these issues he was not afraid to take a principled stand, often in disagreement with many of his colleagues. He even sued the Church Commissioners, trying to force them to invest ethically rather than for profit. He lost that case, but he had clearly chosen moral principle rather than personal preferment in the church, and many consider that the moral victory was his.

Later in his career, he supported the ordination of women and the acceptability of gay partnerships by the church, and promoted serious conversations with Jews and Muslims aimed at greater mutual understanding, respect, and, where possible, co-operation. His book gives clear accounts of his involvement in these issues and it is remarkable for the way he shows no resentment or acrimony, but respects the integrity of his opponents while standing by what he believes to be right.

Lord Harries was not just a reforming moralist. He became a valued broadcaster, causing even people in the BBC who wished to abolish ‘Thought for the Day’ to admit that he made them really think. He became a prolific author, writing beautifully and insightfully about art and poetry, about the agony of suffering in a God-created world, and about reasonable and life-transforming ways of Christian believing in a sceptical age.

In the book, he claims not to be an academic theologian, yet his short but incisive statements of what he believes and what drives his faith are models of reasoned thought and judicious reflection. If one desires an account of how a Bishop of today’s church can be morally committed to human flourishing, deeply sensitive to art and poetry, and faithful to a religious tradition that can be both open to rigorous critical enquiry yet committed to truth, beauty, and goodness, then this is it.

We live in an age both of scepticism about religion, and of widespread searching for new forms of spirituality. It is often thought that traditional religions cannot provide such forms. The result is often that fantastic theories and irrational claims can grow and multiply. This story of a life makes a strong case that some traditions, if sensitively adopted, are capable of providing a spirituality which has ancient roots, the benefits of long experience and reflection, and the capacity for change and renewal. In this sense, the book is not just an autobiography, but a profound exploration of a religious and spiritual faith, which has real morally inspired social and political implications, in a sceptical, pluralistic, and often self-absorbed world.

Prof Keith Ward FBA is author of nearly fifty books. His autobiography Adventures in Belief is reviewed above.