Seventy million assorted individuals comprise a church family that is renowned for its rich diversity. Christians of all shades of belief together make up the Anglican Communion, a fellowship of churches that extends around the world and includes the Episcopal Church in the United States. At its best, the spirit of openness that marks this fellowship is a sign of openness to the Holy Spirit. Few Anglicans would presume to have arrived spiritually, and the door is always open to all who are seeking God. Whether you are a cradle Episcopalian or are exploring the denomination, Always Open is an excellent introduction to Anglican beliefs and practices. Down to earth and good humored, Always Open explains the essentials of the Anglican approach to authority, the Bible, social and moral questions, dialogue with people of other faiths, and much, much more.

This new edition of the 1974 classic What Anglicans Believe is for the very different world of the twenty-first century and its powerful new preface examines the whole question of belief. David Edwards' purpose is to present a straightforward account of what many Anglicans believe. He writes honest answers to the questions that many are asking of their faith and the Church. He aims to help Anglicans all over the world to understand their own tradition and what it can offer them. A list of questions for discussion makes this an ideal book for study groups as well as for individual contemplation.

Well over a century and a half after its high point, the Oxford Movement continues to stand out as a powerful example of religion in action. Led by four young Oxford dons--John Henry Newman, John Keble, Richard Hurrell Froude, and Edward Pusey--this renewal movement within the Church of England was a central event in the political, religious, and social life of the early Victorian era. This book offers an up-to-date and highly accessible overview of the Oxford Movement.

Beginning formally in 1833 with John Keble's famous "National Apostasy" sermon and lasting until 1845, when Newman made his celebrated conversion to Roman Catholicism, the Oxford Movement posed deep and far-reaching questions about the relationship between Church and State, the Catholic heritage of the Church of England, and the Church's social responsibility, especially in the new industrial society. The four scholar-priests, who came to be known as the Tractarians (in reference to their publication of Tracts for the Times), courted controversy as they attacked the State for its insidious incursions onto sacred Church ground and summoned the clergy to be a thorn in the side of the government.

C. Brad Faught approaches the movement thematically, highlighting five key areas in which the movement affected English society more broadly--politics, religion and theology, friendship, society, and missions. The advantage of this thematic approach is that it illuminates the frequently overlooked wider political, social, and cultural impact of the movement. The questions raised by the Tractarians remain as relevant today as they were then. Their most fundamental question--"What is the place of the Church in the modern world?"--still remains unanswered.

This illustrated dictionary for the Episcopal Church is an essential reference to its terminology, worship, structure, and polity. Originally intended as a resource for new members and confirmands in the Episcopal Church, since it was first published in 1985 the dictionary has become increasingly popular with clergy, vestries, and other lay ministers and leaders. This entirely new edition has been expanded, revised, and updated to include new terms that have come into use since it was first published, as the language Episcopalians use to describe their faith, worship, and common life continues to evolve. A Dictionary for Episcopalians is an ideal reference book for new members, seminarians, clergy, confirmation and inquirers classes, altar guilds, church school teachers, and anyone who wants to learn more about the Episcopal Church. With illustrations and a pronunciation guide, it is a useful addition to every parish library and sacristy."

In this volume of The New Church's Teaching Series, Stephen Holmgren introduces us to the world of Anglican ethics and moral theology. He focuses on questions all people of faith must ask: How will I keep my baptismal promises? How am I meant to live "after Easter?" In developing a distinctively Anglican approach to ethics, with its emphasis on holiness, sanctification, and the need for spiritual disciplines, Holmgren identifies clear axioms for Anglican moral theology and the ethos required for moral decision-making on the part of individuals and church bodies. He explains why ethical reflection is not the same as church governance, and why the institution cannot "make" its moral theology. Holmgren also discusses the role of conscience and reason, the work of moral discernment, the difference between moral knowledge and saving knowledge, the meaning of natural law, and the high value Anglicans place on consensus. The final chapter provides a methodology for building a moral case in Christian ethics, specifically on Christian involvement with war and violence. As with each book in The New Church's Teaching Series, recommended resources for further reading and questions for discussion are included.

Moldovan explores an aspect of Martin Luther King's legacy that has been largely overlooked by scholars until now. Martin Luther King Jr. is a unique study of Dr. King's preaching and emerging theology spanning from his student days to his tragic death. The influence of Dr. King's religious convictions is conveyed through the personal accounts of his listeners. This study of theology and homiletics attests to Martin Luther King's indelible mark on American society. Moldovan traces the power and influence of Dr. King's words on those who heard him in Selma, Birmingham, and Chicago during the Civil Rights era.

What Roger Ferlo did for the Bible in Opening the Bible, volume 2 of The New Church s Teaching Series, Jeffrey Lee now does for the prayer book in volume 7 of the series. Opening the Prayer Book introduces us to the history and liturgies of The Book of Common Prayer, and helps us understand why the prayer book is such an important aspect of Anglican self-understanding. Lee begins with the fundamental question, What is common prayer? He explores some of the ways in which our worship according to The Book of Common Prayer affects who we are as a church, and the way it shapes our lives of faith. In chapter 2 Lee turns to the development of patterns of liturgy from the time of Jesus to the Reformation, tracing changes in the primary liturgies of baptism, eucharist, and daily prayer. The American prayer book is the focus of chapter 3, from the earliest revisions in the new nation through the liturgical scholarship that led to the substantial theological and liturgical changes in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Chapter 4 begins a survey of the pages of the prayer book itself. Lee examines in particular the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter, baptism and eucharist, and the daily office, with a view to understanding the way the parts of the services are rooted in the historical prayers of the church and at the same time reflect the living tradition of Christians today. This theme is further developed in chapter 5, which focuses on the prayer book and our common life. Here Lee discusses questions of how a common prayer book can be responsive to a growing variety of pastoral situations and diverse cultures in a fast-changing world. The final chapter addresses the future of the prayer book within the Anglican Communion, in light of demands for further revision and for greater freedom to adapt the prayer book to local needs and beliefs. As with each book in The New Church s Teaching Series, recommended resources for further reading and questions for discussion are included.

In this first volume to the New Church's Teaching Series James Griffiss provides an introduction to the Anglican tradition. He focuses especially on Anglicanism's ability to hold together theological continuity (especially the emphasis on the Incarnation) with social and cultural change. After discussing the Episcopal Church today and the ways in which it has changed over the past fifty years, Griffiss shows how the distinctive Anglican approach has been lived out in its history, spirituality, mission, worship, and approach to Scripture. Throughout, the book stresses the place of Anglicanism in the late twentieth century and its ability to be both flexible and traditional in rapidly changing cultures. The Anglican Vision is intended for wide parish use, including adult education, parish forums, inquirers and newcomers classes, and study groups throughout the church year. It includes a study guide, list of resources, and suggestions for further reading.

American Episcopalians have long prided themselves on their love of consensus and their position as the church of American elites. They have, in the process, often forgotten that during the nineteenth century their church was racked by a divisive struggle that threatened to tear apart the very fabric of the Episcopal Church. On one side of this struggle was a powerful and aggressive Evangelical party who hoped to make the Episcopal Church into the democratic head of "the sisterhood of Evangelical Churches" in America; on the other side was the Oxford Movement, equally powerful and aggressive but committed to a range of Romantic principles which celebrated disillusion and disgust with evangelicalism and democracy alike. The resulting conflict--over theology, liturgy, and, above all, culture--led to the schism of 1873, in which many Evangelicals left the church to form the Reformed Episcopal Church. For the Union of Evangelical Christendom tells this largely forgotten story using the case of the Reformed Episcopalians to open up the ironic anatomy of American religion at the turn of the century.

Today, as the Episcopal Church once again finds itself enmeshed in cultural and religious crisis, the remembrance of a similar crisis a century ago brings an eerily prophetic ring to this remarkable work of cultural and religious history.

A compelling short biography of the 'Lord's horseman cantering towards eternity') John Wesley. Using the as yet unpublished Oxford diaries, the author, himself a Fellow of Wesley's Oxford College, reveals Wesley's extraordinarily complex and paradoxical personality. Originally published by Thomas Nelson in 1964.

The noted preacher and spiritual writer Michael Mayne wrote extensively about Anglicanism's distinctive theology and ethos, and how it could help the church speak to contemporary society. This collection of his unpublished writings and lectures offers a vintage distillation of his wisdom and pastoral understanding that remains extraordinarily relevant. Michael Mayne's wisdom calls the church back to its deepest spiritual identity and purpose, exploring: * The nature of moderation and tolerance; * The influence of daily prayer; * What happens when Anglicans disagree; * Unity in Christ despite diversity in practice; * Learning from controversies.

Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) was the first Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, the author of the Book of Common Prayer, and a central figure in the English Protestant Reformation. Few theologians have led such an eventful life: Cranmer helped Henry VIII break with the pope, pressed his vision of the Reformation through the reign of Edward VI, was forced to recant under Queen Mary, and then dramatically withdrew his recantations before being burned alive. This gripping biography by Leslie Williams narrates Cranmer's life from the beginning, through his education and history with the monarchy, to his ecclesiastical trials and eventual martyrdom. She portrays Cranmer's ongoing struggle to reconcile his two central beliefs - loyalty to the crown and loyalty to the Reformation faith - as she tells his fascinating life story.

In this compelling memoir Anthony Harvey traces the three ways he has felt drawn throughout his life - to a ministry in the Anglican priesthood, to a profession in theological scholarship, and to his marriage and family. Harvey recounts his clergy training in Canterbury, his time as canon of Westminster Abbey, his teaching and research at the University of Oxford, and his many exciting travels. He also candidly discusses the challenges presented by his marriage to an artist and writer whose spells of mental illness, along with the premature death of their daughter, placed great strain on both his family life and his public responsibilities. Throughout the book Harvey authentically narrates his inner tensions and conflicts, his own spiritual questioning, and his propensity toward a Christian stoicism. From the foreword: "This moving and unpretentious memoir charts a journey of education in faith, not least through times of deep challenge in personal life. It shows us a scholar always willing to put the resources of his remarkable learning at the disposal of the Christian community. . . . It has the capacity to rekindle faith in the theological vocation in the fullest sense of the word `theological' and to renew a confidence in the possibility of interweaving human honesty and Christian depth." - Rowan Williams TENT

Archbishop Michael Ramsey's archiepiscopate from 1961 to 1974 saw profound renegotiations of the relationship of the Church of England with its own flock, with the nation more widely, with the Anglican church worldwide, and with the other Christian churches. Drawing from unique source material in the Lambeth Palace Library archives and reproducing many original writings of Ramsey for the first time, this book explores key questions which surround Ramsey's tenure. How did Ramsey react to the rapid hollowing-out of the regular constituency of the church whilst at the same time seeing sweeping changes in the manner in which the church tried to minister to those members? What was his role in the widening of the church's global vision, and the growing porousness of its borders with other denominations? And how did the nature of the role of archbishop as figurehead change in this period?

How has the Church responded to the challenge to combat institutional racism? What efforts are being made to bring about positive and sustained changes in the structures? To what extent are the issues being addressed by church schools, clergy and parishes? How are theological colleges and courses responding to the importance of preparing and training ordinands for leadership in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-faith Britain? What is the Church doing to encourage a more culturally diverse lay and ordained leadership? These are some of the questions that have challenged the Church of England in its struggle to understand racism and the way it is used by institutions, maybe unwittingly, to disadvantage minority ethnic people. The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report acted as a catalyst and forced the Church to take a fresh look at itself with respect to its record in combating institutional racism. This book gives new insights into the Church of England's response to race issues and presents a fascinating view of the Church at the start of the twenty-first century. It highlights examples of good practice and demonstrates the progress that has been made since the publication in 1991 of Seeds of Hope, a seminal report of a survey on combating racism in the Church of England. An Amazing Journey is written from the perspective of Glynne Gordon Carter who served the Archbishops' Council's Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (the former Black Anglican Concerns Committee) as Secretary from 1987 to 2001.

English author and philosopher, Bishop Thomas Burgess lived from 1756 to 1837. His early career was concerned with advocating for the emancipation of slaves and evangelistic work among the poor. In 1803, he was appointed Bishop of St David's where he remained for the next twenty years, and in that position he founded and liberally endowed St. David's College, now the University of Wales, Lampeter. This book gathers together essays that use Bishop Burgess' life as a starting point to uncover the links between the academic, religious and social cultures of Britain, Europe and North America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The essays in the volume comprise papers read at two conferences in 2003 and the St David's Day lecture delivered at Lampeter in 2004.

Many of the controversial religious debates of our day grow out of disagreements about how to interpret scripture correctly. Is it a historical or theological text? How do we address the apparent contradictions? In "Anglican Approaches to Scripture," the sequel to ATB Book of the Year "Christian Hope and Christian Life," Greer shows the multi-layered Anglican tradition of what scripture is and how it is to be interpreted.

This is an introduction to the thought of one of the most fascinating theologians and at the same time most controversial church leaders of our time. In contemporary theology, the work of Rowan Williams is virtually without parallel for its extraordinary diversity and complexity. His writings span the genres of poetry, history, literary criticism, spirituality, theology, ethics, and philosophy - yet this diverse body of work is apparently not unified by any overarching system or agenda. Indeed, one of the hallmarks of Williams' thought is a vigorous refusal of completeness and systematic closure. Nevertheless, this book will argue that the complex body of Williams' work is held together by a specific theological construal both of Christian language and of the church's founding event.

Priestly ministry in the Church of England needs a radical rethink...George Herbert died in 1633. His legacy continues. His poems are read and sung, and his parish ministry remains the model for the Church of England's understanding of how and where and why its priests should minister. But there is a problem. The memory of Herbert celebrated by the Church is an inaccurate one, and, in its inaccuracy, is unfair on Herbert himself and his successors in the ordained ministry. This is a book of the long view. It sets out to assess realistically the context of Herbert's life and to explore the difficulties of parish life today. By examining the status and role of parish clergy since Herbert's time and today, it draws on the work of historians, social anthropologists, psychologists and theologians, and presents their ideas in a readable and passionate style. It argues that the future strength of parochial ministry will be found in a recovery of historic, renewed understandings of priestly ministry, and concludes by outlining more sustainable patterns of practice for the future.In a climate of uncertainty for the future of the church, it will be an encouragement for priest and people, and welcomed by both. >

The Anglican church has been no stranger to controversy during its history but the debates raging at the moment are among the hottest it has known. This book asks some prominent Anglicans why they are still in the church and what they love about it. Representing Anglicanism in all its range and diversity, the contributors are positive about the church and their place in it, and show appreciation, rather than resentment, of a Church that is broad enough to contain those of opposing views. This is a personal, partial and affectionate (though by no means uncritical) glimpse of the Anglican Church.

Bringing together the authors's experience of working in Europe, the United States, and Australia, this book includes the latest rites for welcoming adults into church membership, together with a detailed account of the Adult Catechumenate and the way in which adults may make a journey into faith, making commitment at the right time on the way and following through into discipleship.

Anglican eucharistic theology varies between the different philosophical assumptions of realism and nominalism. Whereas realism links the signs of the Eucharist with what they signify in a real way, nominalism sees these signs as reminders only of past and completed transaction. This book begins by discussing the multifomity of the philosophical assumptions underlying Anglican eucharistic theology and goes on to present extensive case study material which exemplify these different assumptions from the Reformation to the Nineteenth century. By examining the multiformity of philosophical assumptions this book avoids the hermeneutic idealism of particular church parties and looks instead at the Anglican eucharistic tradition in a more critical manner.

The relationship between the Syrian Orthodox Church in the Ottoman Empire and the Church of England developed substantially between 1895 and 1914, as contacts between them grew. As the character of this emerging relationship changed, it contributed to the formation of both churches' own 'narratives of identity'. The wider context in which this took place was a period of instability in the international order, particularly within the Ottoman Empire, culminating in the outbreak of the First World War, effectively bringing this phase of sustained contact to an end. Narratives of Identity makes use of Syriac, Garshuni, and Arabic primary sources from Syrian Orthodox archives in Turkey and Syria, alongside Ottoman documents from the Basbakanlik Osmanli Arsivi, Istanbul, and a range of English archival sources. The preconceptions of both Churches are analysed, using a philosophical framework provided by the work of Paul Ricoeur, especially his concepts of significant memory (anamnesis), translation, and the search for mutual recognition. Anamnesis and translation were extensively employed in the formation of 'narratives of identity' that needed to be understood by both Churches. The identity claims of the Tractarian section of the Church of England and of the Ottoman Syrian Orthodox Church are examined using this framework. The detailed content of the theological dialogue between them, is then examined, and placed in the context of the rapidly changing demography of eastern Anatolia, the Syrian Orthodox 'heartland'. The late Ottoman state was characterised by an increased instability for all its non-Muslim minorities, which contributed to the perceived threats to Ottoman Syrian Orthodoxy, both from within and without. Finally, a new teleological framework is proposed in order to better understand these exchanges, taking seriously the amamnetic insights of the narratives of identity of both the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Church of England from 1895 to 1914.