George Townshend (Bahá'í)
Encyclopedia
George Townshend was born in Ireland
and was a well-known writer, clergyman before his conversion to the Bahá'í Faith
in which he became a Hand of the Cause
.
for a time, then returned to Ireland where he was a lead writer for The Irish Times
from 1900 to 1904. In 1904 he emigrated to the U.S.
and became ordained in Salt Lake City
. He then went to Sewanee, Tennessee
where he became Associate Professor of English at the University of the South
.
, where he was incumbent of Ahascragh
and Archdeacon
of Clonfert
. Around this time he achieved recognition with "The Alter on the Hearth (1927)" and more widely with "The Genius of Ireland (1930)". He then moved to Dublin where he became the Canon St. Patrick's Cathedral
. However, his lasted for only a short time before his resignation.
and it was his activities in the Faith, including his writing of two books, “The Heart of the Gospel” and “The Promise of All Ages”, that created ever increasing tensions between Townshend and the other clergy and eventually caused Shoghi Effendi
to call for his resignation as the Canon St. Patrick's Cathedral.
In 1947, at the age of 70, Townshend renounced his orders to the Anglican Church and wrote a pamphlet to all Christians under the title “The Old Churches and the New World Faith” that was sent out to 10,000 people in the British Isles
on the occasion of this resignation. He then moved to a small bungalow outside of Dublin where he spent his last decade. George was one of the founding members of the Dublin Local Spiritual Assembly and in 1951 was designated by Shoghi Effendi as a Hand of the Cause of God.
With this designation he rendered many services to the Guardian, mainly in the area of writing, as Shoghi thought of him as 'the best writer we have . . . the pre-eminent Bahá'í writer.' He wrote the introduction to Effendi's only book "God Passes By
" which recounted the events of the first century of the Bahá'í Faith. He also completed another of his own books, "Christ and Bahá'u'lláh", which Shoghi Effendi called 'his crowning achievement' shortly before dying of Parkinson's disease in 1957, at the age of 81.
. Brian died in 1988 and Una in 2003. Una married Richard Dean, Bahá'í and one time Harlem Globetrotter
, she also was a founding member of the Dublin Local Spiritual Assembly as well as a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
, a designation given to those Bahá'ís who were the first to reside in a country, hers being Malta.
once said about George Townshend that he feels "Mr. Townshend's services to the Faith can best be rendered by his writing about it, as he obviously has an outstanding ability in this direction..." (The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 198).
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and was a well-known writer, clergyman before his conversion to the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
in which he became a Hand of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
.
Early accomplishments
George went to OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
for a time, then returned to Ireland where he was a lead writer for The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
from 1900 to 1904. In 1904 he emigrated to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and became ordained in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. He then went to Sewanee, Tennessee
Sewanee, Tennessee
Sewanee is an unincorporated locality in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States, treated by the U.S. Census as a census-designated place . The population was 2,361 at the 2000 census...
where he became Associate Professor of English at the University of the South
Sewanee, The University of the South
The University of the South is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Sewanee, Tennessee. It is owned by twenty-eight southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church and its School of Theology is an official seminary of the church. The university's School of Letters offers graduate...
.
Return to Ireland
George spent many years near Ballinasloe, County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, where he was incumbent of Ahascragh
Ahascragh
Ahascragh is a village in east Galway, Ireland. It is located north-west of Ballinasloe on the Ahascragh/Bunowen River, a tributary of the River Suck. The R358 regional road passes through the village.-History:...
and Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Clonfert
Clonfert
Clonfert is a small village in east County Galway, Ireland. It is half way between Ballinasloe and Portumna.Clonfert Cathedral is situated in the village, which is the see of the Diocese of Clonfert.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland...
. Around this time he achieved recognition with "The Alter on the Hearth (1927)" and more widely with "The Genius of Ireland (1930)". He then moved to Dublin where he became the Canon St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
. However, his lasted for only a short time before his resignation.
Bahá'í life
In 1918, Townshend started correspondence with Abdu'l-Bahá. He later became a Bahá'íBahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
and it was his activities in the Faith, including his writing of two books, “The Heart of the Gospel” and “The Promise of All Ages”, that created ever increasing tensions between Townshend and the other clergy and eventually caused Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
to call for his resignation as the Canon St. Patrick's Cathedral.
In 1947, at the age of 70, Townshend renounced his orders to the Anglican Church and wrote a pamphlet to all Christians under the title “The Old Churches and the New World Faith” that was sent out to 10,000 people in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
on the occasion of this resignation. He then moved to a small bungalow outside of Dublin where he spent his last decade. George was one of the founding members of the Dublin Local Spiritual Assembly and in 1951 was designated by Shoghi Effendi as a Hand of the Cause of God.
With this designation he rendered many services to the Guardian, mainly in the area of writing, as Shoghi thought of him as 'the best writer we have . . . the pre-eminent Bahá'í writer.' He wrote the introduction to Effendi's only book "God Passes By
God Passes By
God Passes By, written by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, is a book which provides a historical summary of the first century of the Bahá'í Faith, from 1844 to 1944...
" which recounted the events of the first century of the Bahá'í Faith. He also completed another of his own books, "Christ and Bahá'u'lláh", which Shoghi Effendi called 'his crowning achievement' shortly before dying of Parkinson's disease in 1957, at the age of 81.
Family
George had a wife Nancy, a son Brian and a daughter Una. Una and Brian helped him to write "Christ and Bahá'u'lláh" by writing down his dictations as he was dying from Parkinson'sParkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. Brian died in 1988 and Una in 2003. Una married Richard Dean, Bahá'í and one time Harlem Globetrotter
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
, she also was a founding member of the Dublin Local Spiritual Assembly as well as a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh
Knights of Bahá'u'lláh
The title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh was given by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, to Bahá'ís who arose to open new territories to the Faith during the Ten Year Crusade....
, a designation given to those Bahá'ís who were the first to reside in a country, hers being Malta.
Works
Shoghi EffendiShoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
once said about George Townshend that he feels "Mr. Townshend's services to the Faith can best be rendered by his writing about it, as he obviously has an outstanding ability in this direction..." (The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 198).