Bell, Bernard Iddings

(Oct. 13, 1886-Sept. 5, 1958). A leading American educator. He was born in Dayton, Ohio. Bell received his B.A. from the University of Chicago in 1907 and his S.T.B. from the Western Theological Seminary in 1912. He was ordained deacon on May 29, 1910, and priest on Dec. 18, 1910. From 1910 until 1913, Bell was the vicar of St. Christopher's Church, Oak Park, Illinois. From 1913 until 1918, he was dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. In 1919 he became Warden of St. Stephen's (Bard) College, and served in that position until 1933. When St. Stephen's became a branch of Columbia University in 1930, he was given a three-year appointment as Professor of Religion at Columbia. From 1933 until 1946, Bell was preaching canon at St. John's Cathedral, Providence, Rhode Island. He later served as chaplain to Episcopalians at the University of Chicago. After his retirement in 1954, he continued to write and lecture. Bell published over twenty books and numerous articles and sermons. He was an Anglo-catholic and a very popular preacher on college campuses. He died in Chicago.