After decades of neglect there has recently been a resurgence of interest in the history of the Church of England in "the long eighteenth century." This volume of essays brings together the fruits of some of this research, and reflects the diversity of approaches to the study of the Church of England in the eighteenth century. As a whole, the volume demonstrates that religion and the Church can no longer be regarded as a discrete subject in the history of eighteenth-century England, but are central to a full understanding of its life and thought.

This book explores the culture of conformity to the Church of England and its liturgy in the period after the Reformation and before the outbreak of the Civil War. It provides a necessary corrective to our view of religion in that period through a serious exploration of the laypeople who conformed, out of conviction, to the Book of Common Prayer. These "prayer book Protestants" formed a significant part of the spectrum of society in Tudor and Stuart England, yet until now they have remained an almost completely uninvestigated group.

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.

Richard Trahair shares an insider's experience of the wide-ranging 'goings on' in a large Church of England diocese in the south of England from the 1980s. As estate manager - Diocesan Property Secretary - for more than thirty years, he reflects on the astonishing range of characters he worked alongside, and the diverse buildings and land for which he was responsible. Richard delves into the nature of a parsonage house, its parish loyalties, and the keen controversy over selling the grand old houses and replacing them with smaller ones so that the impoverished clergy and their families can at least keep warm. Both people and places were a heady mix of the delightful, the worthy, the curious and the downright eccentric. With encounters recounted that range from wacky and hilarious, to thought-provoking and historical, catch a glimpse into the life of a twenty-nine-year-old surveyor in a diocesan office dominated by retired military gentlemen, rattling around in a huge 15th century former city workhouse, as he grows into his role.

The Oxford History of Anglicanism is a major new and unprecedented international study of the identity and historical influence of one of the world's largest versions of Christianity. This global study of Anglicanism from the sixteenth century looks at how was Anglican identity constructed and contested at various periods since the sixteenth century; and what was its historical influence during the past six centuries. It explores not just the ecclesiastical and theological aspects of global Anglicanism, but also the political, social, economic, and cultural influences of this form of Christianity that has been historically significant in western culture, and a burgeoning force in non-western societies today. The chapters are written by international exports in their various historical fields which includes the most recent research in their areas, as well as original research. The series forms an invaluable reference for both scholars and interested non-specialists. Volume one of The Oxford History of Anglicanism examines a period when the nature of 'Anglicanism' was still heavily contested. Rather than merely tracing the emergence of trends that we associate with later Anglicanism, the contributors instead discuss the fluid and contested nature of the Church of England's religious identity in these years, and the different claims to what should count as 'Anglican' orthodoxy. After the introduction and narrative chapters explain the historical background, individual chapters then analyse different understandings of the early church and church history; variant readings of the meaning of the royal supremacy, the role of bishops and canon law, and cathedrals; the very diverse experiences of religion in parishes, styles of worship and piety, church decoration, and Bible usage; and the competing claims to 'Anglican' orthodoxy of puritanism, 'avant-garde conformity' and Laudianism. Also analysed are arguments over the Church of England's confessional identity and its links with the foreign Reformed Churches, and the alternative models provided by English Protestant activities in Ireland, Scotland and North America. The reforms of the 1640s and 1650s are included in their own right, and the volume concludes that the shape of the Restoration that emerged was far from inevitable, or expressive of a settled 'Anglican' identity.

Hymns Ancient and Modern was first published in 1861, and has sold in excess of 160 million copies. The New Standard Edition was introduced in 1983, and has already sold over a million copies. 533 hymns included. Melody and Words edition.

An accessible introduction to important topics that are deeply contested within the Church of England - marriage, gender equality and sexuality. It draws on sources displaying an inclusive perspective whilst staying respectful to those who take a different view. It explores a diverse and fascinating range of questions such as: How should the church treat those who do not conform to gender stereotypes, or experience their gender atypically? Are there limits to inclusion? What should the church say about desire and self-control? Informative and thought-provoking, this book enables the reader to 'think better' about the issues discussed by presenting the history, the religious texts, the forms of reasoning and the recent scholarship which these topics have attracted both inside and outside of theology.

This book presents a historically and critically nuanced study of George Herbert's biblical poetics. Situating Herbert's work in the context of shifting ideas of biblical mystery, Gary Kuchar shows how Herbert negotiated two competing impulses within post-reformation thought-two contrary aspects of reformation spirituality as he inherited it: the impulse to certainty, assurance, and security and the impulse to mystery, wonder, and wise ignorance. Through subtle and richly contextualized readings, Kuchar places Herbert within a trans-historical tradition of biblical interpretation while also locating him firmly within the context of the early Stuart church. The result is a wide ranging book that is sure to be of interest to students and scholars across several different fields, including seventeenth-century studies, poetry and the bible, and literature and theology.

This book evaluates William Temple's theology and his pursuit of church unity. It exposes a number of paradoxes and conflicts that have generally gone under-appreciated in assessments of Temple. William Temple was one of the most outstanding leaders of the early ecumenical movement. In many ways his ecumenical efforts provided a paradigm others have looked to and followed. Through detailed analysis of primary sources, this study sheds light on several behind-the-scenes conflicts Temple experienced as he worked toward church unity. Edward Loane explores the foundation of Temple's work by analyzing the philosophy and theology that underpinned and fueled it. The book also exposes the tensions between Temple's denominational allegiance and his ecumenical convictions-a tension that, in some ways, undermined his work for reunion. This book reveals issues that contemporary Christians need to grapple with as they seek to further church unity.

Though he never attained the highest office in the Church of England, Samuel Horsley was the ablest bishop on the bench in the late eighteenth century. He was a scientist, parliamentarian, and man of letters, as well as a leading theologian and diocesan administrator. While his forthright opposition to popular politics at the time of the French Revolution earned him the label 'Grand Mufti', his social outlook found a distinct place for the benevolence of the age. F. C. Mather's scholarly and perceptive biography provides a portrait of Horsley and the Church of England in an age of intellectual, social, and political revolution. Professor Mather establishes Horsley as a high churchman, who bridged the gap between the Anglican Toryism of Atterbury and Sacheverell and the apostolic vision of the Tractarians. High Court Prophet challenges belief in the predominance of latitudinarianism in the eighteenth-century church, and throws new light on the workings of church-state relations.

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.

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 larger-format edition.

This interdisciplinary collection of essays explores the life and work of Charlotte M. Yonge, a highly influential and popular nineteenth-century writer who is emerging from a long period of critical neglect. Its wide-ranging chapters capture the scope and quality of current work in Yonge studies, addressing the full range of her prolific literary output from her best-selling novels to her nature writing, biographies, and letters. Considering themes from gender, disability, and empire, to Tractarianism, secularism, and the idea of progress, these essays consider how Yonge reflected and shaped the tastes, ideas and anxieties of her readers and contemporaries. Exploring her key role in the Anglican revival, her importance as a test case in the development of feminist criticism, and her formal innovativeness as a novelist, this collection places Yonge centrally in the nineteenth-century literary landscape and demonstrates her ongoing relevance to scholars and students of the period.