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An Historian's Conscience: The Correspondence of Arnold J. Toynbee and Columba Cary-Elwes, Monk of Ampleforth
608 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
11 people want to read
About the author
Arnold Joseph Toynbee
480 books523 followersNot the same as Arnold Toynbee, economist and nephew of Arnold Joseph Toynbee
British educator Arnold Joseph Toynbee noted cyclical patterns in the growth and decline of civilizations for his 12-volume Study of History (1934-1961).
He went to Winchester college and Balliol college, Oxford.
During both world wars, he worked for the foreign office. He additionally published Nationality and the War (1915), The Armenian Atrocities: The Murder of a Nation (1915), The German Terror in France: An Historical Record (1917), and Turkey, a Past and a Future (1917). He attended the peace conference of Paris in 1919 as a delegate.
From 1919 to 1924, Arnold J. Toynbee served as professor of modern Greek and Byzantine at King's college, London. From 1925, Oxford University Press published The Survey of International Affairs under the auspices of the royal institute of international affairs, and Toynbee, professor, oversaw the publication. From 1925, Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs. He published The Conduct of British Empire Foreign Relations since the Peace Settlement (1928).
His first marriage to Rosalind Murray produced three sons and ended in divorce in 1946. Toynbee, professor, then married Veronica M. Boulter, his research assistant. He published Civilization on Trial (1948).
Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs until 1955.
People published best known lectures of Toynbee, professor, in memory of Adam Gifford as An Historian's Approach to Religion (1956). His massive work examined development and decay. He presented the rise and fall rather than nation-states or ethnic groups. According to his analysis, the welfare depends on ability to deal successfully with challenges.
He also published Democracy in the Atomic Age (1957), Christianity among the Religions of the World (1958), and Between Niger and Nile (1965).
He died in York, North Yorkshire, England.
British educator Arnold Joseph Toynbee noted cyclical patterns in the growth and decline of civilizations for his 12-volume Study of History (1934-1961).
He went to Winchester college and Balliol college, Oxford.
During both world wars, he worked for the foreign office. He additionally published Nationality and the War (1915), The Armenian Atrocities: The Murder of a Nation (1915), The German Terror in France: An Historical Record (1917), and Turkey, a Past and a Future (1917). He attended the peace conference of Paris in 1919 as a delegate.
From 1919 to 1924, Arnold J. Toynbee served as professor of modern Greek and Byzantine at King's college, London. From 1925, Oxford University Press published The Survey of International Affairs under the auspices of the royal institute of international affairs, and Toynbee, professor, oversaw the publication. From 1925, Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs. He published The Conduct of British Empire Foreign Relations since the Peace Settlement (1928).
His first marriage to Rosalind Murray produced three sons and ended in divorce in 1946. Toynbee, professor, then married Veronica M. Boulter, his research assistant. He published Civilization on Trial (1948).
Toynbee served as research professor and director at the royal institute of international affairs until 1955.
People published best known lectures of Toynbee, professor, in memory of Adam Gifford as An Historian's Approach to Religion (1956). His massive work examined development and decay. He presented the rise and fall rather than nation-states or ethnic groups. According to his analysis, the welfare depends on ability to deal successfully with challenges.
He also published Democracy in the Atomic Age (1957), Christianity among the Religions of the World (1958), and Between Niger and Nile (1965).
He died in York, North Yorkshire, England.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 3, 2010
Would anyone be interested in this book besides Toynbee nerds like myself?
The book is the contents of letters exchanged between historian Arnold Toynbee and his friend, monk Columba Cary-Elwes from 1937 to Toynbee's death in 1975. There is plenty here that is of interest to almost no one (travel schedules, notes about their families, etc.). But the book is worth it even for non-Toynbee nerds because
1. You get a two sided conversation about major events from the period.
2. You see how the two are in some ways very similar - both are 'not of this world' - and this goes for Toynbee who was married, had family etc. He wrote history as one with his eyes on 'spiritual' things perhaps even more so than 'secular' things, which is one reason why I think he is very important for Christians to read. He admired Augustine's 'City of God,' and consciously or no, seemed to follow his approach.
3. Most importantly - you see the warmhearted, respectful and pointed dialog between them on Christianity - where they agree, disagree, etc. This is really the heart of the book, and valuable for anyone interested in Christianity in general, and its relationship to history in particular.
To what extent is Christianity true for all? In what sense is it distinctive? In what sense are other religions true besides Christianity? While they agreed on much, they disagreed on some key points. If I had to pick their strongest point of similarity, it would be the Crucifixion, with all the import of humility, sacrifice, etc. which it entails (Toynbee at one point calls it 'the central event of history). Indeed, Toynbee's gentleness and humility shine through here. What is humility's relationship to the truth? But - they do not see eye to eye on the Resurrection, which Toynbee tends to spiritualize, which impacts other areas of his thought.
Was Toynbee a Christian? To give him credit, he never pretended to be so. He claimed that the Anglican church, if it wanted to be really consistent, should throw him out. Is it possible to, as CS Lewis suggests, have purely intellectual objections to Christianity that God would forgive? I don't know, and if possible, I don't know if Toynbee would fit into this category.
Is it possible to belong to God and not be aware of it? Cary-Elwes defended traditional Christian belief and seemed to believe this was the case with Toynbee - that he belonged to God in some way. I certainly join him in his hope.
Cary-Elwes letter to Toynbee's wife Veronica after his death is worth citing in light of the decades of friendship between them:
'The most precious words I heard [from him:] were 'I don't want to hate,' and then for me, the naming of the Holy Trinity.'
He continues in a footnote - 'During our last meeting, during which he was incapable of clear speech or writing, suddenly he said very distinctly, 'In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,' and then fell back into silence. As I wrote before, I do not use that to prove anything to the general public. It may have been an act of courtesy to me on his part, as Veronica suggested. For me it was an answer to prayer!'
Though I suppose it is not representative of his entire thought on the subject, for anyone interested in Toynbee's general beliefs about Christianity and history, look here:
http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/engli...
Not too long, and certainly thought provoking.
The book is the contents of letters exchanged between historian Arnold Toynbee and his friend, monk Columba Cary-Elwes from 1937 to Toynbee's death in 1975. There is plenty here that is of interest to almost no one (travel schedules, notes about their families, etc.). But the book is worth it even for non-Toynbee nerds because
1. You get a two sided conversation about major events from the period.
2. You see how the two are in some ways very similar - both are 'not of this world' - and this goes for Toynbee who was married, had family etc. He wrote history as one with his eyes on 'spiritual' things perhaps even more so than 'secular' things, which is one reason why I think he is very important for Christians to read. He admired Augustine's 'City of God,' and consciously or no, seemed to follow his approach.
3. Most importantly - you see the warmhearted, respectful and pointed dialog between them on Christianity - where they agree, disagree, etc. This is really the heart of the book, and valuable for anyone interested in Christianity in general, and its relationship to history in particular.
To what extent is Christianity true for all? In what sense is it distinctive? In what sense are other religions true besides Christianity? While they agreed on much, they disagreed on some key points. If I had to pick their strongest point of similarity, it would be the Crucifixion, with all the import of humility, sacrifice, etc. which it entails (Toynbee at one point calls it 'the central event of history). Indeed, Toynbee's gentleness and humility shine through here. What is humility's relationship to the truth? But - they do not see eye to eye on the Resurrection, which Toynbee tends to spiritualize, which impacts other areas of his thought.
Was Toynbee a Christian? To give him credit, he never pretended to be so. He claimed that the Anglican church, if it wanted to be really consistent, should throw him out. Is it possible to, as CS Lewis suggests, have purely intellectual objections to Christianity that God would forgive? I don't know, and if possible, I don't know if Toynbee would fit into this category.
Is it possible to belong to God and not be aware of it? Cary-Elwes defended traditional Christian belief and seemed to believe this was the case with Toynbee - that he belonged to God in some way. I certainly join him in his hope.
Cary-Elwes letter to Toynbee's wife Veronica after his death is worth citing in light of the decades of friendship between them:
'The most precious words I heard [from him:] were 'I don't want to hate,' and then for me, the naming of the Holy Trinity.'
He continues in a footnote - 'During our last meeting, during which he was incapable of clear speech or writing, suddenly he said very distinctly, 'In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,' and then fell back into silence. As I wrote before, I do not use that to prove anything to the general public. It may have been an act of courtesy to me on his part, as Veronica suggested. For me it was an answer to prayer!'
Though I suppose it is not representative of his entire thought on the subject, for anyone interested in Toynbee's general beliefs about Christianity and history, look here:
http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/engli...
Not too long, and certainly thought provoking.
christianity
May 2, 2023*author listed as C.B. Peper*
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews