The Soul of a Bishop by H. G. Wells. Short summary

5 seconds

During World War I, Bishop Edward Scrope experiences a crisis of faith. He takes a medicine that gives him a mystical vision. He leaves the Anglican Church.

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The horrors of World War I caused Bishop Edward Scrope of Princhester to question the tenets of his Anglican faith. He is plagued by insomnia and depression. Dr. Dale prescribes him medication. Bishop hides his crisis of faith from Lady Ella, his wife, and his 4 daughters, but shares his thoughts on the subject with Lady Sunderbund, a wealthy American.

Thoughts of leaving the church mature in Scrope’s soul, but his spiritual director, Bishop Lykeman, asks him to be patient for 3 months. Edward takes a drug (an opiate), which gives him a mystical vision of the Angel of God. Then he sees God the Father as well. He becomes convinced that Anglicanism is useless for the salvation of the soul, which he proclaims from the pulpit in his cathedral.

Lady Sunderbund is willing to donate funds to organize a new Christian denomination. But a third mystical vision convinces the bishop: All churches are useless.