Early Life and Journey Into Faith
Born in the East End of London, Blue was the son of a master tailor.
Blue read History at Balliol College, Oxford and Semitics at the University of London before being ordained as a rabbi in 1960. He spent time in the Army but was discharged after a nervous breakdown brought on by anxiety over his homosexuality.
He lost his faith at the age of five after petitionary prayer failed to remove Hitler and Oswald Mosley, he then turned to the Marxism of his uncle. Blue regained his faith while at the University of Oxford, when he found some resolution to severe personal conflicts regarding his sexuality at a Quaker meeting. He also found Victor Gollancz's A Year of Grace helpful during this time, and finally became one of the first two students at Leo Baeck College for training rabbis in 1956.
Read more about this topic: Lionel Blue
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