Hewlett Johnson

4.1. Dean of Manchester

An avowed Christian Marxist, Hewlett Johnson came under surveillance by MI5 as early as 1917, when he publicly spoke in Manchester in support of the October Revolution. Despite never formally joining the Communist Party of Great Britain, he became chairman of the board of its newspaper, The Daily Worker. His political views, while unpopular in some circles, did not hinder his professional advancement. Recognizing his hard work and pastoral skills, Labour Party founder and then-prime minister Ramsay MacDonald appointed him Dean of Manchester in 1924.

4.2. Dean of Canterbury

In 1931, Hewlett Johnson was appointed Dean of Canterbury, a position that significantly amplified his public platform and cemented his controversial reputation. It was during his tenure as Dean of Canterbury that he acquired his famous nickname, "The Red Dean of Canterbury," largely due to his outspoken and unyielding support for Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union. His pro-Soviet stance became a defining characteristic of his public persona, often leading to public debate and scrutiny.

4.3. Christian Communism and Soviet Advocacy

Johnson's theological and political convictions led him to a deep commitment to Christian communism, a philosophy he believed harmonized Christian principles with communist ideals. He publicly supported Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union, viewing their system as a practical outworking of the Christian gospel. This advocacy, however, resulted in continuous surveillance by MI5 due to concerns about his influence and the nature of his political sympathies.

5.1. The Socialist Sixth of the World and Soviet Union Support

Johnson gained considerable public prominence in the 1930s by drawing stark contrasts between the rapid economic development of the Soviet Union under the First Five Year Plan and the economic struggles faced by Britain during the Great Depression. He undertook tours of the Soviet Union in 1934 and again in 1937. Following these visits, he claimed to have witnessed the health and prosperity of the average Soviet citizen, asserting that the Soviet system effectively protected its citizens' liberties.

He compiled his articles and observations into the influential book The Socialist Sixth of the World (published by Gollancz in 1939), which was later released in the United States as Soviet Power in 1941. The book included a preface written by the renegade Brazilian Roman Catholic bishop Carlos Duarte Costa. Johnson vigorously defended his positive accounts of life in the Soviet Union, emphasizing that he had visited "five Soviet Republics and several great Soviet towns" and had wandered on foot "many long hours on many occasions and entirely alone," observing "all parts of the various towns and villages and at all hours of day and night."

His book included observations such as:

• "The ideal held out to a child differs entirely from that still too common here (England) - 'Work hard and get on'."
• "Education from first to last is provided for all without monetary payments, from the excellently equipped nursery-schools right up to the university course."
• "There is no financial difficulty which hinders a ... student from entering the university or institute for higher education."
• "Technical institutes await children (of workers) free of charge."
• "What has the Soviet Union done for its youth and what is it doing? ... On his seventeenth birthday and not before, he can enter industry."

However, it later emerged that significant portions of the book were copied verbatim from pro-Soviet propaganda material produced by organizations such as the Society of Cultural Relations with the Soviet Union, of which Johnson himself was chairman.

5.2. Role in Moscow Patriarchate Restoration

During World War II, Johnson strictly adhered to the Soviet political line. Following the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939, he publicly opposed Britain's involvement in the war against Germany, leading to accusations of spreading defeatist propaganda. However, after Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, he reversed his stance and became a supporter of the Allied war effort. Despite this, his MI5 file indicates that it was still deemed "undesirable for the Dean of Canterbury to be allowed to lecture to troops."

Hewlett Johnson is considered one of the most prominent Western church leaders who purportedly influenced Joseph Stalin's decision to restore the Moscow Patriarchate. Stalin was reportedly convinced that such a move would improve his relations with the Western Allies. Historian Dmitri Volkogonov argued that "It was not the vanity of a former seminary dropout that moved the Soviet leader, but rather pragmatic considerations in relation with the Allies."

5.3. Post-War Recognition and Activities

At the conclusion of World War II, Johnson was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour by the Soviet Union, in recognition of his "outstanding work as chairman of the joint committee for Soviet Aid." In 1951, he received the prestigious Stalin International Peace Prize.

After the war, Johnson continued to leverage his public position to propagate his pro-Soviet views. From 1948, he served as the leader of the British-Soviet Friendship Organisation. His activities sometimes drew sharp criticism; for instance, in 1954, the Daily Sketch newspaper published a cartoon attacking Johnson, depicting him with devil horns and posing alongside black civil rights leaders Billy Strachan and Paul Robeson.

His influence began to wane significantly, particularly after public sympathy for the Soviets in Britain declined dramatically following the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956. Johnson's pro-communist activities were a source of particular concern for the British government, as foreigners often confused him, the Dean of Canterbury, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, leading to misinterpretations of official British policy.

6.1. Synthesis of Christianity and Marxism

For Johnson, communism was not an anti-Christian force but rather a natural outcome and practical expression of the Christian gospel. He argued that he understood the clear distinction between religion (Christianity) and politics (Marxism-Leninism). His religious views were consistent with mainstream Anglicanism, but he believed that the moral imperatives of Christianity found their logical fulfillment in the communist system. He often denied accusations that his endeavors to unite Christianity and Marxism-Leninism constituted a "heretical teaching concerning a new religion."

6.2. Critique of Capitalism and Advocacy for Communism

Johnson's support for Marxist-Leninist politics stemmed from his profound conviction that capitalism "lacks a moral basis." He saw the "moral impulse" of communism as its greatest attraction and widest appeal, believing it to be a superior societal system. However, his biographer, Natalie K. Watson, noted in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004) that Johnson's extensive writings on Soviet Russia reflected a "naive and romantic perspective on the transformation [of Russian life] after the 1917 revolution." Watson further stated that "Until the end of his life he ignored the realities of mass persecution and the extermination of political opponents, as well as the anti-religious aspects of Marxism and Stalinism."

9.1. Positive Contributions

Johnson's early ministry demonstrated a clear commitment to social welfare, as evidenced by his organization of holiday camps for poor children and a hospital for World War I wounded soldiers. His belief in Christian communism stemmed from a genuine desire to address societal inequalities, seeing the communist ideal as a moral imperative derived from Christian teachings. He consistently aimed to promote international understanding, particularly between Britain and the Soviet Union, believing that such cooperation was essential for global peace.

9.2. Criticisms and Controversies

Johnson faced considerable criticism throughout his career. During World War II, his initial opposition to Britain's involvement after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact led to accusations of spreading defeatist propaganda. His unwavering support for the Soviet Union, even in the face of mounting evidence of its repressive nature, drew strong condemnation. Critics, including Ferdinand Mount, argued that Johnson's pronouncements on complex issues, such as the Soviet famines of the 1930s or allegations of germ warfare in Korea, were based on superficial study rather than deep understanding.

His nickname, "The Red Dean," became synonymous with his controversial views. The headmaster of the King's School, Canterbury, Fred Shirley, actively maneuvered against him. In one notable instance, after Johnson displayed a banner reading "Christians Ban Nuclear Weapons," some of the school's boys retorted with their own banner: "King's Ban Communists." His attempts to synthesize Christianity and Marxism-Leninism were often labeled as "heretical teaching" by adversaries. As Natalie K. Watson observed, Johnson maintained a "naive and romantic perspective" on the Soviet transformation, consistently ignoring "the realities of mass persecution and the extermination of political opponents, as well as the anti-religious aspects of Marxism and Stalinism" until the end of his life.

9.3. Enduring Influence

Despite the waning of his direct influence, particularly after the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, Hewlett Johnson's legacy endures as a notable figure in the history of Christian socialism and Anglo-Soviet relations. His life serves as a significant case study in the complexities of reconciling religious faith with radical political ideologies during the 20th century. He remains a symbol of the intellectual and moral debates surrounding communism and its perceived compatibility with Western values and religious beliefs.