author
Francis John McConnell
1871–1953
A leading Methodist bishop and social reformer, he wrote with the energy of a preacher and the curiosity of a public thinker. His work connects faith, education, and civic life in a way that still feels lively and direct.
1 Audiobook
Understanding the Scriptures
by Francis John McConnell
About the author
Born in Trinway, Ohio, in 1871, he became an American Methodist minister, educator, and eventually a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He studied at Ohio Wesleyan University and later at the Boston University School of Theology, entering the ministry in the 1890s.
Before his long national career as a bishop, he served as president of DePauw University from 1909 to 1912. He was known not only as a church leader but also as a social reformer, taking an active interest in public questions and the moral responsibilities of Christian life.
His books reflect that broad outlook: practical, engaged, and shaped by both pastoral experience and public debate. McConnell died in 1953, leaving behind a body of writing that speaks to readers interested in religion, ethics, and the social role of the church.