Gerald Palmer (author)

For other people named Gerald Palmer, see Gerald Palmer (disambiguation).

Gerald Eustace Howell Palmer (9 June 1904 – 7 February 1984) was an author, book translator, and Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. Palmer's work in translating the Philokalia, an Eastern Orthodox spiritual text, is still recognized in modern times with the popularity of that book.

Eastern Orthodox writings

Palmer helped translate several Eastern Orthodox spiritual texts, the most notable being the Philokalia, a collaboration with Kallistos Ware and Philip Sherrard. They made available for the first time, in English, the bulk of that Eastern Orthodox text on the hesychasm tradition. He also translated for English readers a book on Greek poetry, The Marble Threshing Floor (1956), a study of Dionysios Solomos, Costis Palamas, Constantin Cavafis, Angelos Sikelianos, and Giorgos Seferis.

Palmer's attraction to Eastern Orthodox teachings caused him to go on a pilgrimage in 1948 to Mount Athos, Greece, the center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism and inner spirituality. A chance meeting upon his arrival at Mt. Athos resulted in a meeting with a Fr. Nikon, who became Palmer's spiritual father, or starets in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. By 1950, Palmer officially joined the Orthodox Church. Palmer first translated, with Mme. Kadloubovky, two small volumes of the Philokalia from the Russian. The publisher Faber and Faber was reluctant to publish such an obscure book, but one of their directors, T. S. Eliot, convinced them to do so based on his own deep impression of the spiritual teachings in that book. Faber and Faber finally relented, expecting to lose money, but instead found that it was a commercial success. In 1971, Palmer invited Ware and Sherrard to join him in a more complete translation of the Philokalia from the original Greek. Before Palmer's death in 1984, they were able to translate and publish four of the five volumes of the Philokalia.

Palmer made almost yearly pilgrimages to Mt. Athos. He wrote an article on his journeys titled The Paths of Athos, published in Eastern Churches Review in 1977.

Political career

He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Winchester from 1935 until his defeat at the 1945 general election by the Labour candidate George Jeger. He also played cricket for Berkshire in the Minor Counties Championship from 1925 to 1930.

After losing his seat in parliament in the 1945 election, Palmer travelled to Mount Athos, which led to a deepening interest in Greek Orthodoxy. He spent much of the rest of his life working on translations of key Orthodox texts. Palmer served on the Council of Reading University before becoming president of it in 1966.

He died in 1984 at his home near Newbury.

Partial list of works

• Palmer, G. E. H. (1977). "The Paths of Athos". Eastern Churches Review. 9 (1–2).
• Palmer, G. E. H. (1951). Writings from the Philokalia on prayer of the heart. London: Faber and Faber. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Palmer, G. E. H. (1954). Early Fathers from the Philokalia : together with some writings of St. Abba Dorotheus, St. Isaac of Syria, and St. Gregory Palamas. London: Faber and Faber. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Palmer, G. E. H. (1952). Unseen warfare : the 'Spiritual combat' and 'Path to Paradise' of Lorenzo Scupoli. London: Faber and Faber. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Palmer, G. E. H. (1973–1995). Philokalia: The Complete Text. London: Faber and Faber. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: date format (link)

References

• Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918-1949 (3rd edition ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |origdate= (help)
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages
• The Times, obituary, 17 February 1984