Julian Tenison Woods

This collection of articles provides a useful supplement to the standard biographies of Fr Julian Tenison Woods. Nearly forty years of reflection on the life of Fr Julian enable the author to provide insights into his pioneering science, his complex spirituality, his educational achievements, and especially his fascinating work in Asia. But the life of Tenison Woods is not just important in our history, it is relevant for religion and for science today.

His final monument, more lasting than bronze, as one of his favourite poets had written, stands in his unique contribution to the church in Australia: two congregations of sisters serving the people of God according to his ideals of simplicity, prayer, and poverty; the concept of church schools to be established in every parish, especially for the children of the poor; a tradition of study, writing, and scientific work that made unique and colourful the fifty nine years that he lived the fullness of a generous heart.’ [Sr Margaret Press, 2004]

‘Tenison Woods had a lifelong commitment to public education. This was demonstrated from his time in Penola where he saw the education of the children of the poor as essential, and throughout his later period as a public intellectual and scientist. It is difficult to separate his zeal for public education and his enthusiasm for science.’ [Emeritus Professor Robert J King, 2016]

‘For the last thirty years his name has been a household word “by the long wash of the Australasian seas”. No one in this country so enlisted the sympathies of the people in the cause of science. The public looked for his opinions, and when an opportunity presented itself showed in an unmistakeable way an appreciation of his efforts. When he read in his own happy way from the pages of the great book of Nature he was listened to with an interest that never flagged. Thousands who have known Tenison Woods only by his writings or by repute will doubtless like to know something of his life, his history, and his work. And many will be glad to get a glimpse of quite another side of his character – that of the priest and missionary.’ [John Milne Curran, 1890].

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