Image courtesy of The British Postal Museum and Archive
Anthony Ashley Cooper was a man who understood what it meant to be Salt and Light in society. The son of a wealthy landowner in an age when Britain’s fortunes were built on the broken backs of the poor, he disappointed his father, was derided by his contemporaries and deprived himself and his family of many of life’s luxuries in his lifelong campaign for social justice.
Equally at ease conversing with royalty and chimney sweeps, Anthony cared little for his position or reputation, but devoted his life to serving the God he loved. He is commemorated in the name of one of Central London’s busiest streets, and with one of its most famous monuments; and it is no exaggeration to say that his tireless work saved the lives, as well as the souls, of many thousands of people. He was dubbed in his life time ‘the Great Reformer’ and ‘the best friend the poor ever had’, but is most commonly known today simply as Lord Shaftesbury.
Thus begins the biography of Lord Shaftesbury that I have written for the Everything website. The Bible says “The Earth is the Lord’s and everything in it”, and the Everything conference website and resources are designed to help and facilitate people who are passionately committed to making a positive difference in society, recognising that if God cares about EVERYTHING, and everyone, maybe we should, too.
Lord Shaftesbury was a brilliant example of this, working tirelessly in the mills, the mines, the slums of London and numerous other areas to bring transformation to the lives of individuals, a city and a nation.
To read the rest of my biography of this incredible, inspiring man, click here.