author
William Gascoyne-Cecil
1863–1936
A Church of England bishop, traveler, and writer, he brought a curious eye to religion and the wider world. His books reflect both his long clerical career and his interest in big questions of faith, society, and change.
1 Audiobook
Changing China
by William Gascoyne-Cecil, Lady Florence Mary Bootle-Wilbraham Cecil
About the author
Born in 1863 into the Salisbury family, he was educated at Eton and University College, Oxford, and went on to serve for many years as rector of Hatfield. In 1916 he became Bishop of Exeter, a post he held until his death in 1936.
He also wrote books for general readers, including Changing China and Science and Religion. Those works suggest the range of his interests: not only church life, but also how religious belief meets modern ideas and a fast-changing world.
Remembered as both a senior churchman and an author, he wrote in a period when Britain was rethinking its place in the world. His work offers a window into the concerns of early 20th-century religious and public life.