Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy (‘Woodbine Willie’): The Crucified God

What is it about?

Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy ('Woodbine Willie') was an Anglican priest and British Army chaplain who served heroically at the front during the First World War. His poems and theological reflections were inspired by times of crisis and troubling questions he faced in the war. He came to see war as an unmitigated evil. He was a Christian advocate for peace, forgiveness, and social justice. His theology focuses on reconciling belief in God with the prevalence of evil (especially war). He finds the suffering love of God revealed in Jesus, the crucified God who shares our pains and trials with us.

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Why is it important?

The true God is the suffering God, the crucified God who shares our struggles and engages the limitations of our lives and all creation. The true God does not will our suffering, but suffers with us, and seeks with us to overcome the painful necessities we face.