Ernest W. Barnes
modernLiberal Anglican Theology1874 – 1953
Ernest William Barnes (1874–1953) was an English mathematician, Anglican bishop, and liberal theologian who sought to reconcile Christian faith with modern science. Bishop of Birmingham from 1924, he championed evolutionary theism and applied scientific reasoning to biblical criticism, earning him both admiration and censure within the Church of England. His major work, The Rise of Christianity (1947), controversially applied historical-critical methods to Christian origins.
Notable Achievements
1
Authored The Rise of Christianity (1947), a landmark liberal-critical examination of Christian origins
2
Argued for compatibility of Darwinian evolution with Christian theism as Bishop of Birmingham
3
Pioneered application of scientific naturalism to Anglican theology in the early 20th century
4
Contributed original work in mathematics before his ecclesiastical career, including research on the gamma function
5
Advocated pacifism and eugenics-informed social theology, reflecting the progressive intellectual currents of his era