Inge, William Ralph

William Ralph Inge, known as Dean Inge, was an English author, Anglican priest, professor of divinity, and Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. Born in 1860, he received a rigorous education at Eton College and King's College, Cambridge. His career included teaching posts at Eton and Oxford, a curacy, and eventually his prominent role at St Paul's. He was a prolific writer, authoring over 35 books in addition to numerous articles, lectures, and sermons. His work often focused on Neoplatonic philosophy, particularly Plotinus, and Christian mysticism, though he also addressed broader societal and political topics. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature three times. Inge passed away in 1954 at the age of 93.

Inge was a proponent of a spiritually oriented faith, emphasizing personal experience and inspiration over institutional authority. His theological perspective often integrated traditional Christian doctrine with Platonic philosophy, a synthesis he shared with figures like Benjamin Whichcote. He was critical of the Roman Catholic Church's hierarchical structure. His views on progress, articulated in his 1920 Romanes Lecture, led to his nickname 'The Gloomy Dean,' as he questioned whether human nature truly advanced despite technological and intellectual gains. He also expressed concerns about democracy, viewing it as the least bad form of government, and critiqued its potential for mob rule while supporting representative systems. His writings also touched upon the concept of inherent inequality among individuals and questioned the wisdom of certain democratic expansions.

Beyond his theological and philosophical writings, Inge engaged with contemporary social issues. He supported population control and was associated with the British Eugenics Society until World War II. He also voiced criticism of social welfare programs he believed unfairly penalized the successful. Inge notably defended British Jews against antisemitism, challenging the views of Hilaire Belloc and arguing against racial prejudice. He emphasized assimilation and the enrichment of society through the integration of diverse individuals. Additionally, Inge was known for his support of nudism, advocating for more liberal attitudes towards public bathing.

Inge's academic and ecclesiastical career was extensive. He served as an assistant master at Eton College and a Fellow at King's College, Cambridge, before being ordained in the Church of England. He held positions as a Fellow and Tutor at Hertford College, Oxford, and later as the Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at Jesus College, Cambridge. His most prominent ecclesiastical role was as Dean of St Paul's Cathedral in London, where he served from 1911 until his retirement from full-time ministry in 1934. He also presided over the Aristotelian Society at Cambridge and was a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery.

“Democracy is a form of government which may be rationally defended, not as being good, but as being less bad than any other.”

“Human beings are born unequal”

“It is contrary to all our traditions... to do what Mr. Belloc wishes us to do—to refuse to forget a man’s racial origins while he lives among us as a good Englishman […] we have enriched our stock by blending it with desirable foreigners of all sorts.”

“It is not their fault that they have been excluded from agriculture and similar pursuits […] It was not by their own choice that they were impounded in Ghettos, or driven to money-lending.”

“we ought to be ashamed of anti-Jewish prejudice”