841) and arithmetic (1843), which were adopted all over
England. In 1846 he became rector of Forncett St Mary, Norfolk, and in
1853 he was appointed bishop of Natal. He at once devoted himself to
acquiring the Zulu language, of which he compiled a grammar and a
dictionary, and into which he translated the New Testament and other
portions of Scripture. He had already given evidence, in a volume of
sermons dedicated to Maurice, that he was not satisfied with the
traditional views about the Bible. The puzzling questions put to him by
the Zulus strengthened him in this attitude and led him to make a
critical examination of the Pentateuch. His conclusions, positive and
negative, were published in a series of treatises on the Pentateuch,
extending from 1862 to 1879, and, being in advance of his time, were
naturally disputed in England with a fervour of conviction equal to his
own. On the continent they attracted the notice of Abraham Kuenen, and
furthered that scholar's investigations.

While the controversy raged in England, the South African bishops, whose
suspicions Colenso had already incurred by the liberality of his views
respecting polygamy among native converts and by a commentary upon the
Epistle to the Romans (1861), in which he combated the doctrine of
eternal punishment, met in conclave to condemn him, and pronounced his
deposition (December 1863). Colenso, who had refused to appear before
their tribunal otherwise than as sending a protest by proxy, appealed to
the privy council, which pronounced that the metropolitan of Cape Town
(Robert Gray) had no coercive jurisdiction and no authority to interfere
with the bishop of Natal. No decision, therefore, was given upon the
merits of the case. His adversaries, though unable to obtain his
condemnation, succeeded in causing him to be generally inhibited from
preaching in England, and Bishop Gray not only excommunicated him but
consecrated a rival bishop for Natal (W. K. Macrorie), who, however,
took his title from Maritzburg. The contributions of the missionary
societies were withdrawn, but an attempt to deprive him of his episcopal
income was frustrated by a decision of the courts. Colenso, encouraged
by a handsome testimonial raised in England, to which many clergymen
subscribed, returned to his diocese, and devoted the latter years of his
life to further labours as a biblical commentator and translator. He
also championed the cause of the natives against Boer oppressi