Robin Ward addresses the ELS on the work of Canon Edmund Gough de Salis Wood SSC

July 25, 2024

On Thursday 18 July, the Revd Canon Dr Robin Ward, Principal of St Stephen’s House, Oxford, delivered a lecture to the Society on “‘The heathen in his blindness bows down to Wood and Stone’ – the canonical erudition of Canon Edmund Gough de Salis Wood SSC (1841-1932), an essay in Anglo-Catholic jurisprudence” at the Grosvenor Chapel, London.

Dr Ward’s lecture explored Wood’s work as an Anglo-catholic canonist, principally his book ‘The Regal Power of the Church’: although not well known today, Wood was described by ELS co-founder Eric Kemp as ‘one of the few really learned Anglican canonists of recent years’. It was fascinating to see some of the ways in which Wood’s quite visionary clarity in addressing questions of fundamental authority in the church foreshadowed later developments in Anglican canon law. Questions followed, and the discussion continued afterwards over refreshments.

The ELS is grateful to Birketts LLP for their sponsorship of the 2024 London lectures.