The Life of John William Colenso, D.D.

The prolific nineteenth-century historian and liberal churchman George William Cox (1827-1902) published this biography of the controversial bishop John William Colenso (1814-83) in 1888. Colenso was appointed the first Bishop of Natal in 1853, and in the next few years he oversaw the completion of the cathedral in Pietermaritzburg and the building of churches in Durban and Richmond, established mission stations and learned Zulu. He was heavily criticised for his tolerance of Zulu practices and for his view that the Old Testament was not literally true. Eventually he was excommunicated, though he retained a loyal following. Cox had accompanied Colenso on his first visit to South Africa in 1853, and remained a fervent supporter of the bishop's work, eventually being nominated (unsuccessfully) as his successor. Volume 2 covers the period from 1865 to Colenso's death, focusing on his support for indigenous rights in the face of colonialist injustice.