Colenso, John William (1814–1883)

British cleric, Anglican bishop of Natal, South Africa, from 1853. He was the first to write down the Zulu language. He championed the Zulu way of life (including polygamy) in relation to Christianity, and applied Christian morality to race relations in South Africa.

He incurred furious attack from traditionalists by his Pentateuch and Book of Joshua Critically Examined 1862. Deposed 1863 by the bishop of Cape Town, he was reinstated on appeal to the Privy Council.