Researching John Kempthorne

John Augustine Kempthorne was the son of the Rev. John Kempthorne (1835–1880), Vicar of Trumpington. He was educated at Haileybury and Trinity College, Cambridge. His first post after ordination was as a curate at St Aidan’s, Gateshead. He then held incumbencies at Rochdale, Sunderland, Liverpool and Hessle before elevation to the episcopate in March 1910 as Bishop of Hull, a Suffragan to the Archbishop of York. He was appointed Bishop of Lichfield in May 1913, and retired in 1937.

A Christian pacifist, Kempthorne believed war was inconsistent with Christianity. The weekend before the start of the First World War he had attended a conference in Kinstanz, Germany, as part of a world alliance for promoting friendship through churches. Whilst he was prepared to work for peace, his pacifism did not extend to rejection of the war, given the UK's obligations to Belgium. He did, however, preach several times about the need to avoid reprisals. Generally, nevertheless, he was strongly in support of the First World War even though he recognised its potential for devastation. ‘Civilised Europe is at war, and it may well prove to be the most terrible war known to history .... It may well be that the list of casualties will be terrible.’ He believed that Britain and her allies were engaged in a righteous cause. He wrote ‘Surely we are not moved by hatred, nor lust of power, nor greed of gain. We stand for loyalty to our engagements, for the protection of weaker peoples, for the liberty of Europe.’ He noted that Christian leaders of Germany were also confident of the rightness of their cause. Throughout the War, despite the casualties, Kempthorne preached in favour of victory as against a peace agreement. ‘ ... we cannot rest until tyranny is overthrown .... we cannot flinch. An uncertain and inconclusive peace would only leave the world in worse case than before.’

He died on 24 February 1946.