How Giles Fraser lost and then found himself
His memoir explores both his Jewish and Christian identities
May 5, 2021
Between worlds: Giles Fraser at a makeshift church in Calais' refugee "jungle". Credit: REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Alamy
Giles Fraser is one of the best-known Anglican priests in the country. But there’s a twist. His father was born a Jew and his second wife is an Israeli Jew (or “a daughter of Israel” as he describes her).
His memoir
Chosen weaves between four different stories. It begins with his breakdown after resigning as dean at St Paul’s Cathedral, after the fierce controversy about the Occupy movement taking over the cathedral’s grounds in 2011. Fraser supported the protestors, but was outnumbered and resigned. It’s not quite clear why this led to such a dramatic breakdown, nor why…