This book discusses the history of the Church of Ireland and the Catholic Church and their Episcopal leaders in the period from 1949 to 1973. It considers the opening years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and their impact on the main churches, and also the relationships between these churches and the two states in Ireland. It also looks at the development of inter-church relations and ecumenism, and offers a new perspective on North-South relations and the causes of religious division. Based on highly original and very comprehensive research, this book offers fascinating insights into the recent past of these key Irish institutions.

It will be welcomed by students and teachers of twentieth century and contemporary Irish history, as well as those interested in the political landscape of Ireland today.

With a focus on England from the accession of Elizabeth I to the mid-1620s, this book examines the practice of direct, scholarly disputation between fundamentally opposing and oftentimes antagonistic Catholic, Protestant and nonconformist puritan divines. Introducing a form of discourse hitherto neglected in studies of religious controversy, the volume works to rehabilitate a body of material only previously examined as part of the great, subjective mass of polemic produced in the wake of the Reformation. In so doing, it argues that public religious disputation - debate between opposing clergymen, arranged according to strict academic formulae - can offer new insights into contemporary beliefs, thought processes and conceptions of religious identity, as well as an accessible and dramatic window into the major theological controversies of the age. Formal disputation crossed confessional lines, and here provides an opportunity for a broad, comparative analysis. More than any other type of interaction or material, these encounters - and the dialogic accounts they produced - displayed the shared methods underpinning religious divisions, allowing Catholic and reformed clergymen to meet on the same field. The present volume asserts the significance of public religious disputation (and accounts thereof) in this regard, and explores their use of formal logic, academic procedure and recorded dialogue form to bolster religious controversy. In this, it further demonstrates how we might begin to move from the surviving source material for these encounters to the events themselves, and how the disputations then offer a remarkable new glimpse into the construction, rationalization and expression of post-Reformation religious argument.

Confirmation was an important part of the life of the eighteenth-century church which consumed a significant part of the time of bishops, of clergy in their preparation of candidates, and of the candidates themselves in terms of a transition in their Christian life. Yet it has been almost entirely overlooked by scholars. This book aims to fill this void in our understanding, and offers an important contribution and correction of our understanding of the life of the church during the long eighteenth-century in both Britain and North America. Tovey addresses two important historical debates: the 'pessimist/optimist' debate on the character and condition of the Church of England in the eighteenth century; and the debate on the 're-enchantment' of the eighteenth century which challenges the secular nature of society in the age of the 'enlightenment'. Drawing on new developments of the study of visitation returns and episcopal life and on primary research in historical records, Anglican Confirmation goes behind the traditional Tractarian interpretations to uncover the understanding and confidence of the eighteenth-century church in the rite of confirmation. The book will be of interest to eighteenth-century church historians, theologians and liturgists alike.

A challenging interpretation both of the Holocaust and its wider context, and the Church of England's role during the period. This is the first book to consider the Anglican church's response to the Nazi persecution and then murder of Europe's Jews. Acting as a critique of the historiography of the 'bystanders' to the Holocaust, it reveals a community that struggled to understand the depravity of Nazi anti-semitism. The author outlines Anglican attitudes to war, anti-semitism and many related issues, demonstrating the extent and the limits of the Church's engagement with Europeanpolitics, and shows how Christian interpretations of Nazi persecution contributed to much wider assumptions about Germany and German history in Britain during the war years. He then moves on to the post-war world, indicating theimportant role played by the Church of England in forging memories of the Nazi era and especially the suffering of Europe's Jews. Overall, this book offers a challenging new interpretation of the Holocaust and its wider context, and of the history of the Church of England and its role in the intellectual life of the nation.Dr TOM LAWSON teaches in the Department of History, University of Winchester.

When Henry VIII died in 1547 he left a church in England that had broken with Rome - but was it Protestant? The English Reformation was quite different in its methods, motivations and results to that taking place on the continent. This book: * examines the influences of continental reform on England * describes the divorce of Henry VIII and the break with Rome * discusses the political and religious consequences of the break with Rome * assesses the success of the Reformation up to 1547 * provides a clear guide to the main strands of historical thought on the topic.

As both a preeminent scholar of Balck Angelican and Episcopalians and devout parishoner, the late James Hewitt writes an illuminus hsitory of one of the most famous black congregrations in America. From its humble beginnings, St. Philip's originated from classes conducted by Elais Neau and other Angelic clerks for the society for the propagations of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. From these cateisem classes emerged a higly educated, African-American group comprised of free and enslaved blacks. W.E.B Dubuois hailed it as the foundation for the Talented Tenth in his classic book Souls of Balck Folk After the American Revolution, St. Philip's has since becoem the church of middle-class blacks across New York City. Hewlitt's careful and percise scholarship chronicles over two centuries of of the church's history, which fills a significant lagun in African-American Religious history.

Bringing together researchers in modern British religious, political, intellectual and social history, this volume considers the persistence of the Church's public significance, despite its falling membership. During the twentieth century, the relationship between the Church of England and the British state was transformed. The character and dynamics of the connections shifted as politics became more democratic and society more secular,as the role of the Crown and parliament in Church government was curtailed, and as the Christian foundations of secular law were weakened. Yet the increasing formal separation of Church and state was not accompanied by ecclesiastical disengagement from politics and government. Despite its falling membership, the Church of England continued - and continues - to wield influence on political life in Britain. This volume of essays brings together researchers in modern British religious, political, intellectual and social history to consider the persistence of the Church's public significance. The introduction reviews the developing literature on the relationships between the Church, the state and politics from 1900 to recent times. The essays which follow consider aspects of these complex intersections: in parliament, party politics and the parish; on the nature of the Church establishment and conceptions of national identity; in religious and sexual education; on colonial and foreign policies; on race and the multi-faith society. In these various ways, the volume shows that pronouncements on a modern demise of ecclesiastical influence in political life have been premature.

William Howley, Archbishop of Canterbury 1828-1848, led the Church of England during the beginning and expansion of the Oxford Movement, at a time when the precursor to the Church Commissioners was established, and during the momentous debates and decisions in Parliament which saw the final retreat from the myth of an all Anglican legislature. Howley's chairmanship of the commissions of the 1830s and 1840s which began the gargantuan task of reforming the Church's practices and re-arranging its finances, made him an object of fury and scorn to some of those who benefited from things as they were, most especially in the cathedrals. Exploring the central events and debates within the Church of England in the first half of the nineteenth century, this book draws on primary and secondary evidence about Howley's career and influence. A section of original sources, including his Charges and other public documents, correspondence and speeches in the House of Lords, places Howley's achievements in proper context and illustrates his prevailing concerns in education, the establishment and political reform, relationships with the Tractarians, and in the early stages of Church reform. Dealing thematically with many of the issues faced by Howley, and exploring his own High Church theological views in historical context, James Garrard offers a fruitful re-appraisal of the intellectual, spiritual and 'party' context in which Howley moved.

Sharing Friendship represents a post-liberal approach to ecclesiology and theology generated out of the history, practices and traditions of the Anglican Church. Drawing on the theological ethics of Stanley Hauerwas, this book explores the way friendship for the stranger emerges from contextually grounded reflection and conversations with contemporary Anglican theologians within the English tradition, including John Milbank, Oliver O'Donovan, Rowan Williams, Daniel Hardy and Anthony Thiselton. Avoiding abstract definitions of character, mission or friendship, John Thomson explores how the history of the English Church reflects a theology of friendship and how discipleship in the New Testament, the performance of worship, and the shape of Anglican ecclesiology are congruent with such a theology. The book concludes by rooting the theme of sharing friendship within the self-emptying kenotic performance of Jesus' mission, and looks at challenges to the character of contemporary Anglican ecclesiology represented by secularization and globalization as well as by arguments over appropriate new initiatives such as Fresh Expressions.

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

Arising out of consultations under the auspices of the Centre for the Study of the Christian Church, this book examines the Church of England's decision to ordain women to the priesthood and to make pastoral provision for those opposed. It attempts to discover and define the theological principles underlying both the ordination of women and the determination of the Church to maintain communion when these developments provoke fundamental disagreements. The book also considers the role of the so-called "flying Bishops", set in place by the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod (1993). All the contributors support, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, the Act of Synod, but they are divided in their view of the ordination of women.

Newman himself called the Oxford University Sermons, first published in 1843, the best, not the most perfect, book I have done'. He added, I mean there is more to develop in it'. Indeed, the book is a precursor of all his major later works, including especially the Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine and the Grammar of Assent. Dealing with the relationship of faith and reason, the fifteen sermons represent Newman's resolution of the conflict between heart and head that so troubled believers, non-believers, and agnostics of the nineteenth century, Their controversial nature also makes them one of the primary documents of the Oxford Movement. This new edition provides an introduction to the sermons, a definitive text with textual variants, extensive annotation, and appendices containing previously unpublished material.

The changing relationship between the church and its supporters is key to understanding changing religious and social attitudes in Victorian Britain. Using the records of the Anglican Church's home-missionary organizations, Flew charts the decline in Christian philanthropy and its connection to the growing secularization of society.

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

During the Reformation, the Book of Psalms became one of the most well-known books of the Bible. This was particularly true in Britain, where people of all ages, social classes and educational abilities memorized and sang poetic versifications of the psalms. Those written by Thomas Sternhold and John Hopkins became the most popular, and the simple tunes developed and used by English and Scottish churches to accompany these texts were carried by soldiers, sailors and colonists throughout the English-speaking world. Among these tunes were a number that are still used today, including 'Old Hundredth', 'Martyrs', and 'French'. This book is the first to consider both English and Scottish metrical psalmody, comparing the two traditions in print and practice. It combines theological literary and musical analysis to reveal new and ground-breaking connections between the psalm texts and their tunes, which it traces in the English and Scottish psalters printed through 1640. Using this new analysis in combination with a more thorough evaluation of extant church records, Duguid contends that Britain developed and maintained two distinct psalm cultures, one in England and the other in Scotland.

It may seem unexpected to assert that controversy surrounds the introduction of hymns in religious life in England. Though many scholars have worked to catalog and index hymns, few have investigated the evolution of hymns, and their proposed meaning to religious celebration. A historical as well as a critical project, The Matter and Manner of Praise undermines the compulsion to assume that hymn-making and religion were always considered to coexist effortlessly. Most histories of hymnody and evangelical movements in England have elided the depth of feeling and concern that surrounded the debate over hymns and their use during liturgy. McCart uncovers, reexamines, and comments upon this debate. He illuminates a partly unexplored topic in English church history, by tracing the controversial shift from metrical psalms to hymnody, and also takes into account legal issues and litigation that developed over the introduction of hymns into church life. An insightful study that should be fascinating reading for anyone interested in teasing apart the historical nature of religious ceremonies and hymns.

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.

W. M. Jacob examines the concept of 'profession' during the later Stuart and Georgian period, with special reference to the clergy of the Church of England. He describes their social backgrounds, how they were recruited, selected, and educated, and obtained jobs; how they were paid, and their lifestyles and family life, as well as examining the evidence for what they did as leaders of worship, pastors and teachers, how their parishioners responded to them, and how they were supervised. Jacob concludes that, contrary to popular views, the clerical profession was much better organized, educated, and supervised than the medical and legal professions during this period. During the 'age of reform' from the 1780s to the 1830s, all the professions were criticized: Jacob suggests that the modest regulation and professional training introduced in the other learned professions in the 1830s only slowly brought them to the standard already achieved by the clerical profession.

The relationship between church and state, indeed between religion and politics, has been one of the most significant themes in early modern English history. While scores of specialized studies have greatly advanced scholars' understanding of particular aspects of this period, there is no general overview that takes into account current scholarship. This volume discharges that task. Solt seeks to provide the main contours of church-state connections in England from 1509 to 1640 through a selective narration of events interspersed with interpretive summaries. Since World War II, social and economic explanations have dominated the interpretation of events in Tudor and early Stuart England. While these explanations continue to be influential, religious and political explanations have once again come to the fore. Drawing extensively from both primary and secondary sources, Solt provides a scholarly synthesis that combines the findings of earlier research with the more recent emphasis on the impact of religion on political events and vice versa.

This focused concentration and celebration of Anglican life could not be more timely. Debates on sexuality and gender (including women bishops), whether or not the church has a Covenant, or can be a Communion, and how it is ultimately led, are issues that have dominated the ecclesial horizon for several decades. No book on Anglicanism can ever claim to have all the answers to all the questions. However, Martyn Percy's work does offer significant new insights and illumination - highlighting just how rich and reflexive the Anglican tradition can be in living and proclaiming the gospel of Christ. These essays provide some sharply-focused snapshots of contemporary Anglicanism, and cover many of the crucial issues affecting Anglicans today, such as the nature of mission and ministry, theological training and formation, and ecclesial identity and leadership. Church culture is often prey to contemporary fads and fashion. Percy's work calls Anglicanism to deeper discipleship; to attend to its roots, identity and shape; and to inhabit the world with a faith rooted in commitment, confidence and Christ.

At an international level, Anglicanism has almost no mandating or juridical power. Stresses and threats of division over issues such as human sexuality have resulted in moves to enhance the Communion's central structures and instruments. However, it is becoming clear that there is little likelihood of substantial change in this direction succeeding, at least in the medium term. The challenge for Anglicanism is to make a 'polity of persuasion' work more effectively. This volume seeks to identify some trends and shifts of emphasis in Anglican ecclesiology to serve that end. Jeffrey W. Driver argues that there is more at stake in such an exercise than Anglican unity. In an ever-shrinking, pluralist, and conflicted world, where oneness is often forced by dominance, the people of God are called to model something different. The injunction of Jesus, 'it is not so among you', challenged his followers to use power and live in community in a way that contrasted with what occurred 'among the Gentiles' (Mark 10:41-45). This is why the sometimes tedious debates about authority and structure in the Anglican Communion could actually matter - because they might have something to say about being human in community, about sharing power and coexisting, about living interdependently on a tiny and increasingly stressed planet. The Anglican experiment in dispersed authority, for all its grief, could be a powerful gift.

The first two archbishops of Canterbury after the Norman Conquest, Lanfranc and Anselm, were towering figures in the medieval church and the sixth archbishop, the martyred Thomas Becket, is perhaps the most famous figure ever to hold the office. In between these giants of the ecclesiastical world came three less noteworthy men: Ralph d'Escures, William of Corbeil, and Theobald of Bec. Jean Truax's volume in the Ashgate Archbishops of Canterbury Series uniquely examines the pontificates of these three minor archbishops. Presenting their biographies, careers, thought and works as a unified period, Truax highlights crucial developments in the English church during the period of the pontificates of these three archbishops, from the death of Anselm to Becket. The resurgent power of the papacy, a changed relationship between church and state and the expansion of archiepiscopal scope and power ensured that in 1162 Becket faced a very different world from the one that Anselm had left in 1109. Selected correspondence, newly translated chronicle accounts and the text and a discussion of the Canterbury forgeries complete the volume.

The first two archbishops of Canterbury after the Norman Conquest, Lanfranc and Anselm, were towering figures in the medieval church and the sixth archbishop, the martyred Thomas Becket, is perhaps the most famous figure ever to hold the office. In between these giants of the ecclesiastical world came three less noteworthy men: Ralph d'Escures, William of Corbeil, and Theobald of Bec. Jean Truax's volume in the Ashgate Archbishops of Canterbury Series uniquely examines the pontificates of these three minor archbishops. Presenting their biographies, careers, thought and works as a unified period, Truax highlights crucial developments in the English church during the period of the pontificates of these three archbishops, from the death of Anselm to Becket. The resurgent power of the papacy, a changed relationship between church and state and the expansion of archiepiscopal scope and power ensured that in 1162 Becket faced a very different world from the one that Anselm had left in 1109. Selected correspondence, newly translated chronicle accounts and the text and a discussion of the Canterbury forgeries complete the volume.

A study of the impact of urbanisation on organised religion in Croydon in the Victorian and Edwardian era. Drawing upon detailed local sources, Dr Morris's study of the town and suburbs of Croydon concentrates on the impact of urbanisation upon the development of Victorian and Edwardian organised religion. The book addresses in particular the origins and form of what has been described as the decline of organised religion in England, pinpointing the difficulties inherent in previous attempts to account for this phenomenon. In his search for an explanation, Dr Morris argues that it is appropriate to study the local tensions and conflicts which engrossed the attention of the churches in this period, the religious beliefs and activities of the middle classes who composed the broad mass ofchurch membership, and the activities and divisions of the urban elites who were most influential in the churches' management. Finally he examines the role of reformed local government in redefining the sphere within which churchaction was deemed to be effective.

She Flies On is not really a critique of organized religion, but rather Carter Heyward's effort to think theologically, politically, socially, and autobiographically about the world and the church in which she has lived and worked. A Christian feminist "theologian of liberation," Episcopal priest, lesbian, Southerner, and socialist Democrat, Heyward writes about the church, but more about the people-and creatures-of God going about their lives and attempting to love one another.