If God means for us to save sex for marriage, why doesn't he just zap us with sexuality on our wedding night? Why do most of us experience sexual feelings throughout our adult lives, not just in the safe confines of marriage? Is limiting marriage to the union of a man and a woman anything but outdated prejudice? What is our sexuality actually for? Today's culture overwhelmingly tells us that sex is essential for human flourishing. Far too often the church perpetuates the same message - as long as you are married. But far from being liberating, this idolising of sex leaves us even more sexually broken than before. With refreshing honesty and clarity, Ed Shaw calls on the church to rediscover its confidence in the Bible's teaching about our ability to experience or express sexual feelings. He points us to how God's word reveals that sexuality's ultimate purpose is to help us better know God and the full power of his passionate love. He shows us how this is surprisingly good news for all our joys and struggles with sexuality.

Michael Ramsey was perhaps the most respected articulator of Anglicanism for the twentieth century. Central to Ramsey's approach to theology was the gospel of Jesus' life, death, burial, and resurrection. For Ramsey this gospel revealed the very nature and glory of God. Furthermore, Ramsey believed that it influenced Christian theology at every level, from theological reflection to institutional structures. It creates a picture of a church that seeks to continue the ministry of Christ in healing a broken world, believing that the glory of Christ transforms the very nature of suffering so that it also becomes an avenue of redemption. In the last 50 years, the Anglican Communion has seen profound changes to its global polity alongside of shifts in practice and ethical beliefs in many of its provinces. These changes have been used on all sides of the debate as wedges to further disassociate the factions with one another. Ramsey's doctrine of the church, shaped by the Gospel of Christ, offers a different lens through which these changes may be viewed and critiqued. Most importantly, it suggests that the glory of God in Christ still safeguards the church.

A primer or refresher on the sacrament of Baptism for new parents, new members, and godparents. This book is about preparing for Christian baptism in the Episcopal Church. While we may hear people say, "I was baptized a Methodist," or "I was baptized Catholic, or "I was baptized Episcopalian," people are not baptized into a denomination; they are baptized into the Christian faith. While various Christian denominations differ both their theology of baptism as it is understood and practiced in the Episcopal Church following the rite found in the Book of Common Prayer 1979. "This short book is full of helpful information, solid history, sound theology, and thoughtful reflection. It is the perfect book to give to adults or to parents of young children seeking baptism through the Episcopal Church. I am happy that I will be able to offer this book to my students for their future use when guiding baptismal candidates. A truly welcome resource."-The Reverend Dr. Nathan Jennings, associate professor of liturgics and Anglican studies, Seminary of the Southwest

For centuries Lent has been a time when Christians stop and take stock of their lives. It is a time for revisiting the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. It is a time of focusing on our sinfulness and the need to repent, as well as a season in which we focus on putting aside our luxuries and making sure that others have what they need. All of these themes, and more, are explored in this collection of Anglican readings that begin with Ash Wednesday and end on the Saturday of Easter Week.

These readings are arranged in a regular sequence through each week of Lent. Sunday readings focus on God s love, Mondays on the need for discipline, Tuesdays on fasting, Wednesdays on prayer, Thursdays on sin, Fridays on the cross, and Saturdays on baptism.

A Time to Turn draws on the best sermons, books, poems, and hymns of Anglican writers throughout the centuries, with a reading for each day, followed by the brief suggestion for focusing the reader's meditations. Writers include Christina Rossetti, John Donne, Philips Brooks, John Keble, Thomas Traherne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and many others. Brief biographies are included, along with a bibliography for those who would like to read more from a given writer. "

In The Excommunication of Elizabeth I, Aislinn Muller examines the excommunication and deposition of Queen Elizabeth I of England by the Roman Catholic Church, and its political afterlife during her reign. Muller shows that Elizabeth's excommunication was a crucial turning point for both Catholics and Protestants, one that irrevocably changed attitudes towards the queen, widened political participation and resistance, and posed a destabilising threat to her regime. The Excommunication of Elizabeth I demonstrates how this event exacerbated religious tensions in England's foreign and domestic politics, and how Elizabeth's conflict with the papacy shaped the development of anti-Catholicism in post-Reformation England.

Holy Scripture and economists have distinct ways of exploring market networks. The Body of Christ in a Market Economy explains how desire connects scripture, economics, theological anthropology, and soteriology. By explaining the mechanics of desire and Jesus' saving grace, it becomes possible for churches and congregations to better align their networks for the common good within market economies. Rivalry is an expense. Follow Jesus or prepare to spend.

Long out of print, John Jewel's classic defense of Reformation principles is again available in this specially re-issued edition with an introductory essay by John E. Booty. Written after Elizabeth's accession to the throne upon the death of Mary Tudor, Jewel's Apology was a major literary contribution toward England's struggle with the papacy and influenced the development of Anglicanism. John Booty's brilliant introduction places Jewel's work in its historical context and highlights its documentary importance in the English Reformation.

This unique collaboration by academic historians, Oneida elders, and Episcopal clergy tells the fascinating story of how the oldest Protestant mission and house of worship in the upper Midwest took root in the Oneida community. Personal bonds that developed between the Episcopal clergy and the Wisconsin Oneidas proved more important than theology in allowing the community to accept the Christian message brought by outsiders. Episcopal bishops and missionaries in Wisconsin were at times defenders of the Oneidas against outside whites attempting to get at their lands and resources. At other times, these clergy initiated projects that the Oneidas saw as beneficial-a school, a hospital, or a lace-making program for Oneida women that provided a source of income and national recognition for their artistry. The clergy incorporated the Episcopal faith into an Iroquoian cultural and religious framework-the Condolence Council ritual-that had a longstanding history among the Six Nations. In turn, the Oneidas modified the very form of the Episcopal faith by using their own language in the Gloria in Excelsis and the Te Deum as well as by employing Oneida in their singing of Christian hymns. Christianity continues to have real meaning for many American Indians. The Wisconsin Oneidas and the Episcopal Church testifies to the power and legacy of that relationship.

This unique collaboration by academic historians, Oneida elders, and Episcopal clergy tells the fascinating story of how the oldest Protestant mission and house of worship in the upper Midwest took root in the Oneida community. Personal bonds that developed between the Episcopal clergy and the Wisconsin Oneidas proved more important than theology in allowing the community to accept the Christian message brought by outsiders. Episcopal bishops and missionaries in Wisconsin were at times defenders of the Oneidas against outside whites attempting to get at their lands and resources. At other times, these clergy initiated projects that the Oneidas saw as beneficial-a school, a hospital, or a lace-making program for Oneida women that provided a source of income and national recognition for their artistry. The clergy incorporated the Episcopal faith into an Iroquoian cultural and religious framework-the Condolence Council ritual-that had a longstanding history among the Six Nations. In turn, the Oneidas modified the very form of the Episcopal faith by using their own language in the Gloria in Excelsis and the Te Deum as well as by employing Oneida in their singing of Christian hymns. Christianity continues to have real meaning for many American Indians. The Wisconsin Oneidas and the Episcopal Church testifies to the power and legacy of that relationship.

This book is a revival of The Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England, explained with an introduction by Edgar C.S. Gibson. The Articles themselves are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the English Reformation. The Thirty-Nine Articles form part of the Book of Common Prayer used by both the Church of England and the Episcopal Church. They were finalised in 1571, and incorporated into the Book of Common Prayer. The book helped to standarize the English language, and was to have a lasting effect on religion in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere through its wide use

Published to mark the 25th anniversary of Terry Waite's release from captivity in November 1991

Offers a lively blend of liturgical history, sacramental theology, and practical hints to help parish altar guilds carry out their ministry.

First published in 1975. In 1869 the Church of Ireland, until then part of the Church of England, was disestablished and partially disendowed. The author traces the changes in the Church of Ireland's organization and function and the decline of its influence and numerical size during the hundred years following disestablishment. This title will be of interest to students of nineteenth- and twentieth-century religious and social history.

This book analyzes two large surveys of clergy and lay people in the Church of England taken in 2001 and 2013. The period between the two surveys was one of turbulence and change, and the surveys offer a unique insight into how such change affected grassroots opinion on topics such as marriage, women's ordination, sexual orientation, and the leadership of the Church. Andrew Village analyzes each topic to show how opinion varied by sex, age, education, location, ordination, and church tradition. Shifts that occurred in the period between the two surveys are then examined, and the results paint a detailed picture of how beliefs and attitudes vary across the Church and have evolved over time. This work uncovers some unforeseen but important trends that will shape the trajectory of the Church in the years ahead.

Benjamin Hoadly, Bishop successively of Bangor, Hereford, Salisbury and Winchester, was the most controversial English churchman of the eighteenth century, and he has unjustly gained the reputation of a negligent and political bishop. His sermon on the nature of Christ's kingdom sparked the Bangorian controversy, which raged from 1717 to 1720 and generated hundreds of books, tracts and sermons, while his commitment to the Whigs and the cause of toleration for Dissenters earned him the antagonism of many contemporary and later churchmen. In this powerfully revisionist study, Hoadly emerges as a dedicated and conscientious bishop with strong and progressive principles. His commitment to the ideology of the Revolution of 1688 and to the comprehension of Dissenters into the Church of England are revealed as the principal motives for his work as a preacher, author and bishop. Gibson also shows how Hoadly's stout defence of rationalism made him a contributor to the English Enlightenment, while his commitment to civil liberties made him a progenitor of the American Revolution. Above all, however, the goal of reuniting of English Protestants remained the heart of Hoadly's legacy.

This book is a revival of The Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England, explained with an introduction by Edgar C.S. Gibson. The Articles themselves are the historically defining statements of doctrines and practices of the Church of England with respect to the controversies of the English Reformation. The Thirty-Nine Articles form part of the Book of Common Prayer used by both the Church of England and the Episcopal Church. They were finalised in 1571, and incorporated into the Book of Common Prayer. The book helped to standarize the English language, and was to have a lasting effect on religion in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere through its wide use

This essential handbook for the preparation of worship presents the authorised Bible readings (references only) for the liturgical year beginning Advent Sunday 2021. It includes: - a full calendar of the Christian year; - a simple code indicating whether celebrations are mandatory or optional; - complete lectionary references to the Principal, Second and Third services for Sundays, Principal Feasts and Holy Days; - lectionary references for Morning and Evening Prayer; - the Additional Weekday Lectionary; - general readings for saints days and special occasions; - a guide to the liturgical colours of the day. A must-have reference guide for every vestry and parish office. This is the standard pocket-book size edition.

Preaching as Prophetic Calling is the twelfth in a series of books devoted to presenting examples of preaching excellence from parishes throughout the Episcopal Church. This volume addresses the difficult and essential area of preaching a prophetic word. What does a prophetic sermon look like without being shrill, and without being filled with musts, oughts, and shoulds ? This collection of sermons includes examples of prophetic preaching that are visionary and that speak in ways that offer radical comfort as well as radical challenge. "

Preaching Through Holy Days and Holidays is the eleventh in a series of books devoted to presenting examples of preaching excellence from parishes in the Episcopal Church. These sermons, collected from clergy around the country, focus on preaching the Holy Days and Holidays of the church and secular calendar. Contents include sermons for:
-- the High Holy Days (Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Easter Evening, and Pentecost)
-- major festivals (The Presentation of Our Lord, Ascension Day, The Transfiguration of Our Lord, All Saints' Day)
-- Feasts of various saints
-- celebrations of ministerial vocation (The Baptism of Our Lord, The Nativity of John the Baptist, the ordination of a bishop, the renewal of ordination vows)
-- civic holidays (Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving) and more.

* An all-in-one volume sharing the history, practice, and viewpoints of Confirmation in the Episcopal Church and the first book on the subject for at least 15 years * Resolutions regarding Confirmation are coming to the 2015 General Convention * Includes questions for reflection and study by individuals and groups Many clergy and educators would say that the rite of Confirmation in the Episcopal Church today is a sacrament in search of a meaning. Some believe Confirmation is an essential rite of passage for adult leadership in the governance of the church. Some believe it is a rite that no longer has a place in the life of the church, understanding the importance that Baptism now holds in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer's ecclesiology. Following a history of how the rite of Confirmation came about and its implications for youth and adults in the church today, voices in the Episcopal Church (bishops, liturgical scholars, confirmation leaders, and youth themselves) offer fresh viewpoints here in a conversational format to engage the reader.

This book considers three defining movements driven from London and within the region that describe the experience of the Church of England in New England between 1686 and 1786. It explores the radical imperial political and religious change that occurred in Puritan New England following the late seventeenth-century introduction of a new charter for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Anglican Church in Boston and the public declaration of several Yale 'apostates' at the 1722 college commencement exercises. These events transformed the religious circumstances of New England and fuelled new attention and interest in London for the national church in early America. The political leadership, controversial ideas and forces in London and Boston during the run-up to and in the course of the War for Independence, was witnessed by and affected the Church of England in New England. The book appeals to students and researchers of English History, British Imperial History, Early American History and Religious History.

The newest book in the Little Books on Liturgy series, focused on the intersection of liturgy and formation. Juan Oliver, Custodian of the Book of Common Prayer, outlines why rituals and liturgy have great meaning in forming individuals and communities. His work is focused on topics such as the sacraments, worship, mystery and the sacred. Ideal for group or individual study in churches, seminaries, and schools of ministry. Praise for Juan Oliver's previous work: "Juan Oliver offers us the gift of 'disclosure of meaning' in this most helpful volume." -Louis Weil, James F. Hodges Professor of Liturgics Emeritus at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific " . . . invaluable to parish clergy . . . " -J. Neil Alexander, Dean, Sewanee School of Theology

Rome and Canterbury tells the story of the determined but little known work being done to end the nearly five hundred year old divisions between the Roman Catholic and the Anglican/Episcopal Churches. The break was never intended, has never been fully accepted and is experienced, by many, as a painful and open wound. It is a personal account, by a non-professional, that begins the story by reviewing the relevant history and theology, looks at where we are today, and concludes with some personal reflections on faith and belief in the US.

First published in 1999, This book is a wide-ranging and authoritative review of the reception in England and other countries of Foxe's Acts and Monuments of the English Martyrs from the time of its original publication between 1563 and 1583, up to the nineteenth century. Essays by leading scholars deal with the development of the text, the illustrations and the uses to which the work was put by protagonists in subsequent religious controversies. This volume is derived from the second John Foxe Colloquium held at Jesus College, Oxford in 1997. It is one of a number of research publications designed to support the British Academy Project for the publication of a new edition of Foxe's hugely influential text.

As the world grows increasingly complex, human beings need more, not less, good counsel for Christian living. This book reaches into the treasury of Anglican spirituality and draws out pearls of wisdom for today's needs. The Anglican tradition has shown an abiding concern for a holy living that leads to a holy dying. Spiritual Counsel in the Anglican Tradition offers earnest, practical devotion to inspire and to instruct the Christian pilgrim in the path of discipleship. Here readers will find not a general collection of spiritual writings but direct words of spiritual counsel on such crucial subjects as discipleship, vocation, scripture, sacraments, vice and virtue, money, patience, forgiveness, perseverance, marriage and family, friendship, and the natural world. Readers will also encounter many passages selected for both authoritative content and surpassing beauty. Represented in these pages are fifty Anglican authors, including John Donne, Austin Farrer, C.S. Lewis, Samuel Johnson, William Law, Hannah More, J.B. Phillips, Michael Ramsey, Frederick W. Robertson, Dorothy L. Sayers, Geoffrey A. Studdert Kennedy, William Temple, Evelyn Underhill, and Olive Wyon. This is a book that takes seriously the Anglican emphasis on a form of religion that quickens the mind, forms the conscience, guides the will, and lifts the spirit.