Many have been deeply critical of the Church of England’s response to the First World War, which has been seen as insufficiently critical of Government policy and too influenced by the war spirit. Charles Gore (Bishop of Oxford, 1911–19) provides a fascinating case study of how one independently minded Anglican thinker arrived at swift and unwavering support for the war, while simultaneously trying to mount a ‘counterpoise’ to some elements of the war mentality. This article describes and evaluates Gore’s use of the just war tradition, and the efficacy of the counterpoise he attempted. Analysis of his thought reveals a curious mix of hard-headed strategic realism about what would secure a just and lasting peace, and striking naiveté about what war actually entailed.
