Events see launch of Bell fund

The Bishop George Bell Memorial Fund has been launched at two special events held to commemorate the former Chichester Bishop.

The events, one in London and one in Chichester, are the first held since The Archbishop of Canterbury issued a personal statement last year making clear that he does not consider there to be a ‘significant cloud’ over Bishop George Bell’s name.

A statement from the events’ organiser said: “The purpose of the events was both to launch a fund to support Christian pastors who live in conditions of persecution and to confirm the exoneration of the name and reputation of Bishop George Bell (18831958).

“This fund is being hosted by Barnabas Fund.

“The event in London was held at St Matthew’s Church, Westminster.

“The event focussed on the first lecture in a new annual series to commemorate the life and work of George Bell and his interests, such as refugees.

“Dr Ruth Hildebrandt Grayson, who was instrumental in the establishment of the fund, and the Revd Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, of Barnabas Fund, spoke about the background to the Bishop George Bell Memorial Fund.

“The first lecture in the series was given by Lord Alexander Carlile, who spoke of the importance in law of evidence to establish guilt or innocence.

“The panellists were the historian Lord Alistair Lexden and Lord George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury.

“The event in Chichester, held in the Assembly Rooms of the Council House, had talks by Andrew Chandler, the biographer of Bishop Bell, Caroline Kerslake, of Barnabas Fund, Dr Ruth Hildebrant Grayson, daughter of the late Prof Franz Hildebrandt, a close friend of Bishop Bell, Dr Patrick Sookhdeo and Lord George Carey.

“Lord Carey quoted 1 Kings 18.17 where King Ahab accuses the prophet Elisha of being a trouble-maker.

“George Bell was such a trouble-maker, said Lord Carey, and so, he urged, should we all be trouble-makers.

“Prayers were led by Rev Nicholas Frayling, former Dean of Chichester Cathedral.”

In 2015, Bishop Bell was accused of sexually abusing a young girl in the 1950s.

Two years later, an independent review by Lord Carlile concluded the Church had ‘rushed to judgement’ and criticised the decision to name him.

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