John Buchan (1875-1940) : a reassessment of his Christian faith and practice
Abstract
This thesis emphasises, as paramount, Buchan’s little explored life-long and deeply held
Christian faith and practice. Much on-going discussion of his life and character ignores or
misrepresents this essential motivation, favouring interpretations that stress his desire for fame
or fortune. This is not, however, a full-scale presentation of Buchan’s doctrinal beliefs, perhaps
impossible to achieve with so private a man.
Many influences around Buchan, and choices he made throughout life, indicate that he
remained faithful to his early experience of commitment to Christ. Neglected parts of books,
articles, and sermons, together with archived letters, documents and papers, in Oxford, Glasgow,
London, Elsfield, Edinburgh, and Queen’s Library, Kingston, Ontario, are used to inform
Buchan’s Christianity.
An examination of writings by Buchan’s father and sister revises the extent of a
suggested alienation between father and son over expressions of the faith. Subsequent chapters
consider how older friends, and youthful contemporaries encouraged Christian faith throughout
his life. Most appear as rather shadowy figures in what has been written. Greater attention to
little published biographical material clarifies their importance. Using local reminiscences of the
inter-war years when the Buchans were very prominent in Elsfield, for the first time the
absorbing significance of their involvement in village life receives the attention it deserves.
Those arguing that Buchan’s more racist or anti-clerical fictional characters voice his
own beliefs are challenged by closer examination of some of his historical and fictional
writings, and other activities. It has been claimed that one of Buchan’s greatest novels, Sick
Heart River, reveals his own spiritual pilgrimage, lacking a fully satisfying conversion
experience until the close of life. This book is given a new interpretation.
All the matters addressed more thoroughly here trenchantly focus Buchan’s life-long
faith, wonderfully expressed in Greek on his grave, ‘Christ shall overcome’.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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