Help children understand the sacrament of Baptism with this scrapbook record of the day they were welcomed into the Church. An introduction for elementary school children, along with pages for photographs, prayers, and memories, make this an excellent gift for your child and a helpful teaching tool.

Dire Sunday services, shrinking congregations and financial meltdown are the realities of the contemporary Church of England. In this controversial book, Michael Hampson, who worked as a parish priest for thirteen years, examines why the Church of England is in such crisis. He describes a church irreconcilably divided between liberals and evangelicals, shackled by tradition and with little resonance for the laity of modern Britain. He locates the roots of its demise in its history, from the Reformation to the ordination of women and beyond. The internal fault lines of the Church were exposed in 2003 by the forced resignation of Jeffrey John, the first openly gay man appointed a bishop. Michael Hampson demolishes the damaging arguments against homosexual clergy and movingly describes his own journey to ordination as a gay man within a prejudiced Church. In a powerful conclusion, he argues that a radical transformation of both culture and structure is the one hope for the renewal of the Church of England. Last Rites is a fiery insider's fascinating view of a Church that has failed its clergy, its laity and the nation at large.

This is a study of the relationship between Anglicans and the armed forces, of the military heritage and history of the Anglican Communion, and the changing nature of this relationship between the mid-Victorian period and the 1970s. This era spanned a period of imperial expansion and colonial conflict round the turn of the twentieth century, the two World Wars, the Cold War, wars of decolonisation, and Vietnam. In terms of armed conflict, it was the bloodiest period in the history of humanity and marked the advent of weaponry that had the capacity to extinguish human civilization. This book assesses the contribution of an expansive Anglican Communion to the armed forces of the English-speaking world, examines the ways in which this has been remembered, and explores its challenging legacy for the twenty-first century Church of England.

The subject of infant baptism is undoubtedly a delicate and difficult one ... But this must not make members of the Church of England shrink from holding decided opinions on the subject. That church has declared plainly in its Articles that 'the baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained, as most agreeable with the institution of Christ.' To this opinion we need not be afraid to adhere." J. C. Ryle This book aims to help Anglican Evangelicals recover that same gracious yet unashamed confidence shown by Bishop Ryle in the nineteenth century. The authors defend biblically the doctrine of infant baptism and its proper evangelical practice within the Church of England. They expound a covenantal understanding which has impeccable evangelical credentials in order to reassure a new generation of Anglican Evangelical 'paedobaptists' that theirs is no new or peculiar doctrine, and to persuade those who may not have fully appreciated the Reformed heritage we in the Church of England enjoy. Dr. John R. W. Stott CBE is Rector Emeritus of All Souls, Langham Place in London and over the last 60 years has been one of the most influential leaders of evangelicalism worldwide. Dr. J. Alec Motyer is the former Principal of Trinity College, Bristol, and was for many years incumbent of St. Luke's, West Hampstead and later minister of Christ Church, Westbourne Lee Gatiss is Associate Minister of St. Helen's Bishopsgate and Editor of The Theologian (www.theologian.org.uk).

This edition of Jeremy Taylor's famous work is the first edition critically edited and fully annotated since the beginning of the Oxford Movement over 150 years ago. The text is based on the first editions of 1650 and 1651, and includes textual variants, a full commentary, and a textual introduction.

As well as being two of the most famous prose works of English literature, Jeremy Taylor's Holy Living and Holy Dying are among the greatest examples of Anglican spirituality. This is the first critical and fully annotated edition since the Oxford Movement began, over 150 years ago. The texts are based on the first editions of 1650 and 1651, collated with those editions published during Taylor's lifetime. The critical apparatus includes textual variants, a full commentary, and a textual introduction. The general introduction to both volumes sets out Taylor's life and the intellectual background of these devotional and literary classics.

The convocation records of the Churches of England and Ireland are the principal source of our information about the administration of those churches from middle ages until modern times. They contain the minutes of clergy synods, the legislation passed by them, tax assessments imposed by the king on the clergy, and accounts of the great debates about religious reformation; they also include records of heresy trials in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, many of them connected with the spread of Lollardy. However, they have never before been edited or published in full, and their publication as a complete set of documents provides a valuable resource for scholarship.This volume covers the York records between 1625 and 1861. It includes a detailed account of the seventeenth century and a calendar of the later period, including lists of those who were summoned to attend the convocation. Of particular interest is the material relating to the revival of the convocation in the nineteenth century, which did not proceed as smoothly as it did in Canterbury. The volume also gives a complete list of the prolocutors in so far as they are known from the middle ages to the present day.

The convocation records of the Churches of England and Ireland are the principal source of our information about the administration of those churches from middle ages until modern times. They contain the minutes of clergy synods, the legislation passed by them, tax assessments imposed by the king on the clergy, and accounts of the great debates about religious reformation; they also include records of heresy trials in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, many of them connected with the spread of Lollardy. However, they have never before been edited or published in full, and their publication as a complete set of documents provides a valuable resource for scholarship.This volume contains all the evidence for the northern convocation in the later middle ages, as well as that for provincial councils and diocesan synods held during the time. Much of the material from the archbishops' registers as well as from other sources in Durham, Carlisle and London has never been printed before, and will thus add considerably to knowledge of the period.

Expanded-language texts for references to God General softening of language to avoid masculine nouns and images in Psalms and other texts Can be used by clergy and lay people, across denominations, who are looking for a daily regimen of prayer and Bible reading Special appeal to women and men who are sensitive to issues of inclusive language Offers the full beauty of structured monastic prayer in the Anglican tradition Designed for use with the Bible, in a translation of personal choice Can also be used as a manual of devotion without Bible readings The rich tradition of monastic prayer, dating back to the earliest days of the desert hermits in the third century, has been the foundational daily prayer of the Church for most of its existence. Many individuals who are not members of religious communities cherish this tradition and use elements of it for their own daily prayer, and adapted breviaries have been popular sellers to targeted markets for more than a century. Over the past several years, the Order of Saint Helena, a community of women in the Episcopal Church, spent a great deal of time and energy in revising their office book. High on the list of priorities for the revision was the broadening of language to avoid masculine imagery when referring to God. This personal edition of The Saint Helena Breviary has been adapted for use by individual readers who set aside one or more times for prayer in the midst of their busy lives. CONTENTS Daily morning prayer, noonday prayer, evening prayer, and compline based on the Book of Common Prayer, with enrichments from the Order of Saint Helena All prayers for the days of the week and the church year, from the Book of Common Prayer, adapted for expansive language All daily and seasonal canticles (song texts), adapted for expansive language The complete Psalter (psalms), in an expansive language adaptation from the Book of Common Prayer translation (also published separately by CPI as The Saint Helena Psalter) Complete two-year schedule of Bible readings, with all major and minor holy days, from the Book of Common Prayer lectionary, designed for use with a Bible of reader's choice

On the 40th anniversary of the irregular ordination of the group of women who became known as the "Philadelphia Eleven," Darlene O Dell introduces us to the women involved, the paths that brought them together on that that momentous day - and what has changed (or not changed) in the life of the church over the intervening years. This is the first book to document the story in first-person interviews. It includes a Foreword by Carter Heyward. "

The steward reports to Madam Whichcott from Harpswell; Transaction of the church's legal business at Lincoln. The steward reports to Madam Whichcott from Harpswell, c.1721-27; Transaction of the church's legal business at Lincoln, 1802-05.

There is no doubt that Richard Hooker (1554-1600) is one of the most important writers in the history of the Church of England. However, since John Henry Newman presented him as a "theologian of the via media" he has been consistently overlooked by evangelical Anglicans. This well-documented and detailed analysis of the theological first principles of the 'father of Anglicanism' challenges the traditional consensus. The author examines three key elements of Hooker's theology-namely, the authority of reason, tradition and Scripture and evaluates Hooker's approach in the light of his debates with contemporary Puritans including Walter Travers, Thomas Cartwright and William Tyndale. His views are then compared with the approaches of Erasmus and the Reformers Luther and Calvin. Finally, the interpretations of leading and influential Hooker scholars are examined to show how often his theological principles have been misrepresented. This important study concludes that Hooker's debt to the Reformation is greater and more profound than generally acknowledged and that Hooker is consistently closer the mainstream of Reformation thought than his Puritan opponents. "This book is sure to put the cat among the pigeons of Hooker scholarship, and reopen the question of interpretations which many have assumed were resolved." -Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School "A lucid, penetrating and immensely relevant study of Hooker's theological method which firmly repudiates the influential High church stereotype of Hooker."- Alister McGrath, from the foreword An ordained priest with the Church of England, Nigel T. Atkinson is Warden of Latimer House, Oxford.

The Church is very good at saying all the right things about racial equality. But the reality is that the institution has utterly failed to back up these good intentions with demonstrable efforts to reform. It is a long way from being a place of black flourishing. Through conversation with clergy, lay people and campaigners in the Church of England, A.D.A France-Williams issues a stark warning to the church, demonstrating how black and brown ministers are left to drown in a sea of complacency and collusion. While sticking plaster remedies abound, France-Williams argues that what is needed is a wholesale change in structure and mindset. Unflinching in its critique of the church, Ghost Ship explores the harrowing stories of institutional racism experienced then and now, within the Church of England. Far from being an issue which can be solved by simply recruiting more black and brown clergy, says France-Williams, structural racism requires a wholesale dismantling and reassembling of the ship - before it is too late.

An invaluable one-stop reference point for a wide range of biblical and ecclesiastical terms. Includes simple definitions for words frequently used in relation to church buildings, their contents, and in many aspects of church organization and worship. Revised and expanded to include the many changes brought about by Common Worship.

A guide to preaching on the Common Worship Lectionary, covering the whole three-year cycle, concentration on the lections for the principal service, and the major saints' days. It provides, for each Sunday's principal service, a focus verse from one of the readings and notes on how to link the four readings. The focus is on the readings but the author includes illustrations and reflections on the everyday life offering the preacher a number of jumping-off points. She sees the main aim of preaching as being to encourage people. A "how-to" section at the beginning of the book contains advice for those new to preaching.

This is an introduction for students and lay readers on the Anglican tradition of doing theology. This book seeks to explain the ways in which Anglicans have sought to practise theology in their various contexts. It is a clear, insightful, and reliable guide which avoids technical jargon and roots its discussions in concrete examples. The book is primarily a work of historical theology, which engages deeply with key texts and writers from across the tradition (e.g. Cranmer, Jewel, Hooker, Taylor, Butler, Simeon, Pusey, Huntington, Temple, Ramsey, and many others). As well as being suitable for seminary courses, it will be of particular interest to study groups in parishes and churches, as well as to individuals who seek to gain a deeper insight into the traditions of Anglicanism. While it adopts a broad and unpartisan approach, it will also be provocative and lively. "Doing Theology" introduces the major Christian traditions and their way of theological reflection. The volumes focus on the origins of a particular theological tradition, its foundations, key concepts, eminent thinkers and historical development. The series is aimed readers who want to learn more about their own theological heritage and identity: theology undergraduates, students in ministerial training and church study groups.

Samuel Wesley and the Crisis of Tory Piety, 1685-1720 uses the experiences of Samuel Wesley (1662-1735) to examine what life was like in the Church of England for Tory High Church clergy. These clergy felt alienated from the religious and political settlement of 1689 and found themselves facing the growth of religious toleration. They often linked this to a rise in immorality and a sense of the decline in religious values. Samuel Wesley's life saw a series of crises including his decision to leave Dissent and conform to the Church of England, his imprisonment for debt in 1705, his shortcomings as a priest, disagreements with his bishop, his marriage breakdown and the haunting of his rectory by a ghost or poltergeist. Wesley was also a leading member of the Convocation of the Church during the crisis years of 1710-14. In each of these episodes, Wesley's Toryism and High Church principles played a key role in his actions. They also show that the years between 1685 and 1720 were part of a 'long Glorious Revolution' which was not confined to 1688-9. This 'long Revolution' was experienced by Tory High Church clergy as a series of turning points in which the Whig forces strengthened their control of politics and the Church. Using newly discovered sources, and providing fresh insights into the life and work of Samuel Wesley, William Gibson explores the world of the Tory High Church clergy in the period 1685-1720.

"Living in the Gaze of God" offers an accessible exploration of the theme of ministerial accountability through the lens of one reflective tool - that of formal supervision of ministerial practice. Bold and far-reaching, the book addresses the key presenting issues around a need for a change of culture in the church as regards accountability for ministerial practice. It outlines a theological and practical model of 1-to-1 supervision, arguing that such an approach enables the development of greater attentiveness to God, the self and others and thus enhances accountability. Laying aside the need to offer a 'how-to' approach, Helen Cameron instead brings us a rigorous and dynamic consideration of the interface between supervision, accountability and ministerial practice, and offers a theological underpinning for the issues.

William Perkins and the Making of Protestant England presents a new interpretation of the theology and historical significance of William Perkins (1558-1602), a prominent Cambridge scholar and teacher during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Though often described as a Puritan, Perkins was in fact a prominent and effective apologist for the established church whose contributions to English religious thought had an immense influence on an English Protestant culture that endured well into modern times. The English Reformation is shown to be a part of the European-wide Reformation, and Perkins himself a leading Reformed theologian. In A Reformed Catholike (1597), Perkins distinguished the theology upheld in the English Church from that of the Roman Catholic Church, while at the same time showing the considerable extent to which the two churches shared common concerns. His books dealt extensively with the nature of salvation and the need to follow a moral way of life. Perkins wrote pioneering works on conscience and 'practical divinity'. In The Arte of Prophecying (1607), he provided preachers with a guidebook to the study of the Bible and their oral presentation of its teachings. He dealt boldly and in down-to-earth terms with the need to achieve social justice in an era of severe economic distress. Perkins is shown to have been instrumental to the making of a Protestant England, and to have contributed significantly to the development of the religious culture not only of Britain but also of a broad range of countries on the Continent.

Our major sources for the life and death of Thomas Becket are rigorously examined in this major new book. In the wake of his murder in December 1170, an extraordinarily large number of Lives of Thomas Becket were produced.They provide an invaluable witness to the life and death of Thomas and the dramatic events in which he was involved, but they are also works of great literary value, more complex and sophisticated than has been recognised. This book, the first to be devoted to the biographers and their works, consists of an examination the individual Lives,followed by an analysis of the biographers' treatment of the major themes in Thomas's life - conversion, conflict, trial, exile and martyrdom - in the light of contemporary hagiographical, historical and theological writing and canon law. It raises points of major significance for the study of intellectual and literary life in the central middle ages and provides an important reassessment of the Becket conflict and Thomas Becket himself. Dr MICHAEL STAUNTON is Lecturer in Medieval History, School of History and Archives, University College Dublin.

The SCM Studyguide: Liturgy, 2nd Edition is an introduction to liturgy that considers the basic 'buliding blocks' needed to grasp the subject area. It outlines the essential shape and content of Christian worship and explores a range of liturgical dynamics of which both students of liturgy and leaders of liturgy need to be aware. This 2nd edition of the popular Studyguide is fully revised, updated and expanded. The book takes account of new developments in scholarship, engages with new contexts for liturgical celebration (notably, fresh expressions as part of a mixed economy of church), encompasses recent revisions in liturgy and seeks to broaden the engagement beyond the British context to consider the wider global context.

The complete readings for the Revised Common Lectionary Years A, B, and C as authorized by the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, together with readings for the major Holy Days of the church year, in the NRSV translation. The RCL goes into official use in the Episcopal Church on the First Sunday of Advent 2007 and will replace the three-year lectionary currently in the Book of Common Prayer. Many congregations have already begun to use the RCL, and all congregations must be using it by 2010.

This handsome, well-made cloth edition with two ribbon markers and a lay-flat binding is ideal for use in a pulpit or lectern.