The ecclesiastical historian John Strype (1643 1737) published the third volume of his monumental Elizabethan religious history Annals of the Reformation in 1728. For over two and a half centuries it remained one of the most important Protestant histories of the period and has been reprinted in numerous editions. Volume 3 Part 1 covers the years 1581 to 1587. It focuses on diplomacy with Spain and the build up to the attack of the Spanish Armada; relations with Scotland and the trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots; friendship with the Low Countries and other Protestant allies in Europe; and works of religious polemic and the death of John Fox in 1587. Strype's thorough use of sources and the enormous scope and detail of his history has ensured its place as an outstanding work of eighteenth-century scholarship. It should be read by every student of Elizabethan religious history.

The ecclesiastical historian John Strype (1643 1737) published the third volume of his monumental Elizabethan religious history Annals of the Reformation in 1728. For over two and a half centuries it remained one of the most important Protestant histories of the Elizabethan era and has been reprinted in numerous editions. Volume 3 Part 2 focuses on the year 1588: European diplomacy and Elizabeth's preparations for war with Spain; the attack of the Spanish Armada; the famous English victory; and the books and polemics produced in response to events. It contains an appendix rich in primary sources for the years 1581 to 1588 - state papers, official proclamations, petitions, royal records, and letters. Strype's thorough use of sources and the enormous scope and detail of his history has ensured its place as an outstanding work of eighteenth-century scholarship. It should be read by every student and scholar of Elizabethan religious history.

The historian John Strype (1643 1737) published the fourth and final volume of his monumental Elizabethan religious history Annals of the Reformation in 1731. For over two and a half centuries it remained one of the most important Protestant histories of the period and has been reprinted in numerous editions. Volume 4 is a rich collection of primary sources, covering the final years of Elizabeth I's reign and the first years of the reign of James I. The sources concern the continued threats from Spain; religious dissidence in England; episcopal organisation and the transference of power to James I. The sources, transcribed by Strype, include state papers, official proclamations, royal records, and letters. Strype's thorough use of sources and the enormous scope and detail of his history has ensured its place as an outstanding work of eighteenth-century scholarship. It should be read by every student of Elizabethan religious history.

The English ecclesiastical historian John Strype (1643 1737) published the second volume of his monumental Elizabethan religious history Annals of the Reformation in 1725. For over two and a half centuries it remained one of the most important Protestant histories of the period and has been reprinted in numerous editions. Volume 2 Part 1 covers the years 1570 to 1575. It focuses on the Queen's use of parliament; royal relations with the episcopate and nobility; various ecclesiastical commissions; threats from Rome; religious polemics; difficulties with Mary Queen of Scots; diplomacy with Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland; the pressures on the Queen to marry and the printing of the Bishop's Bible. Strype's thorough use of primary sources and the enormous scope and detail of his history has ensured its place as an outstanding work of eighteenth-century scholarship. It should be read by every student of Elizabethan religious history.

The Reverend Henry Venn (1725 1797) was an Anglican clergyman who became a central figure in the English evangelical revival movement of the late eighteenth century. This book, containing a substantial selection of his letters and a biography written by his son John, was edited for publication in London in 1834 by his grandson Henry (who himself became an influential clergyman and missionary). The elder Henry Venn, after studying at Cambridge and being ordained priest, had ministered in parishes including Clapham, Huddersfield and Yelling. He was famous for his preaching, which attracted large congregations, and was remembered especially for his work among the urban and rural poor. He also published several books, including The Whole Duty of Man (1763), which reveal the development of his theological views over the course of his life. They are listed in the bibliography of this volume.

Reasonable and Holy addresses the conflict over homosexuality within the Anglican tradition, demonstrating that the church is able to provide for and support faithful and loving relationships between persons of the same sex, not as a departure from that tradition, but as a reasonable extension of it. It offers a carefully argued, but accessible means of engagement with Scripture, the Jewish and Christian traditions, and the use of reason in dealing with the experience and lives of fellow-Christians. Unlike most reflections on the topic of homosexuality, Reasonable and Holy examines same-sex relationships through the lens of the traditional teaching on the "ends" or "goods" of marriage: procreation, union, the upbuilding of society, the symbolic representation of Christ and the Church, and the now often unmentioned "remedy for fornication." Throughout, it responds to objections based on reason, tradition and Scripture. Based on a series of popular blog posts, it includes a number of independent, but related resources in the form of side-bars and single-page expansions of particular themes, suitable for reproduction as handouts.

In 1853 the Council of King's College, London declared that the references to future punishment in Maurice's Theological Essays were of 'dangerous tendency', and they advised the severance of Maurice's connection with the College. There, is now a lectureship established at King's College in his honour. Dr Wood here studies Maurice's life and thought in relation to the turbulent religious and social movements of his own times, 'but my chief reason [Dr Wood adds] is a conviction that his principles are peculiarly relevant to our, own age. He was in advance of his time. It may now be possible to appreciate Maurice as never before.'

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.

First published in 1950 this is a critical study of changes in religious thought in the latter half of the seventeenth century. Dr Cragg's main concern is with the eclipse of Calvinism, the Cambridge Platonists, the religious significance of Locke, Toland and the rise of Deism, the relationship between the Church and the Civil power and the question of religious toleration. In its original form this book was awarded the Archbishop Cranmer Prize for 1945.

Dr Marchant has produced a systematic account of Church courts as they were re-moulded to serve the Protestant Church in England after the Elizabethan Settlement, and at a time when they were still one of the principal responsibilities of bishops and archdeacons. Responding to the challenge of the times, these courts displayed a vitality and adaptability which has often been unrecognized. This study is based on a detailed account of the courts in the diocese of York, but the author measures the individuality of the northern courts by constant reference to the typical southern diocese of Norwich. There is a full description of the lawyers and the ecclesiastical 'civil service', the amount and nature of the business transacted by the courts, the internal administration of the Church and the sources of its administrative law.

Survey of an important period in the development of the choral tradition in the Anglican church. When Bernarr Rainbow was director of music at the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, he came across the 1849 diary of service music of Thomas Helmore. Astonished at its breadth of repertoire, he was inspired to investigate the circumstances of the document. His findings are recorded in this book, which sets Thomas Helmore's contribution in perspective against the background of the Choral Revival as a whole. In tracing the history of the remarkable revival of care for the music of the liturgy, the author produced a socio-musical history of a period vital in the evolution of the Anglican Church, and made clear, probably for the first time, how music in the Anglican Churchcame to follow lines which are unique in Christendom. His book was originally published at a time of important changes in ecclesiastical thinking; his presentation of the decisions taken in the past which led to the existing relationship between choirs and congregations, interesting in itself, is also valuable in the continuing debate.

This book is a study of the Anglican Reformed tradition (often inaccurately described as Calvinist) after the Restoration. Hampton sets out to revise our picture of the theological world of the later Stuart period. Arguing that the importance of the Reformed theological tradition has frequently been underestimated, his study points to a network of conforming reformed theologians which included many of the most prominent churchmen of the age. Focusing particularly on what these churchmen contributed in three hotly disputed areas of doctrine (justification, the Trinity and the divine attributes), he argues that the most significant debates in speculative theology after 1662 were the result of the Anglican Reformed resistance to the growing influence of continental Arminianism.
Hampton demonstrates the strength and flexibility of the Reformed response to the developing Arminian school, and shows that the Reformed tradition remained a viable theological option for Anglicans well into the eighteenth century. This study therefore provides a significant bridge linking the Reformed writes of the Elizabethan and early Stuart periods to the Reformed Evangelicals of the eighteenth century. It also shows that, throughout its formative period, Anglicanism was not a monolithic tradition, but rather a contested ground between the competing claims of those adhering to the Church of England's Reformed doctrinal heritage and the insights of those who, to varying degrees, were prepared to explore new theological avenues.

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.

How far can religion play a part in the public sphere, or should it be only a private matter? Roger Trigg examines this question in the context of today's pluralist societies, where many different beliefs clamor for attention. Should we celebrate diversity, or are matters of truth at stake? In particular, can we maintain our love of freedom, while cutting it off from religious roots? In societies in which there are many conflicting beliefs, the place of religion is a growing political issue. Should all religions be equally welcomed in the public square? Favoring one religion over others may appear to be a failure to treat all citizens equally, yet for citizens in many countries Christian heritage is woven into their way of life. Whether it is the issue of same-sex marriages, the right of French schoolgirls to wear Islamic headscarves, or just the public display of Christmas trees, all societies have to work out a consistent approach to the public influence of religion.

This volume is a documentary history of the Episcopal Church from 1782 to 1985. The documents selected illustrate what the Episcopal Church believes and what it has done. They also show how the Episcopal Church has developed in the context of American culture. The documents are arranged chronologically in thematic chapters. Care has been taken to see that the documents are widely representative of various positions in the church. The editors hope that the reader can hear the history and drama of the Episcopal Church through the many voices assembled here. The goal has been to let these witnesses speak for themselves, with few editorial inter ruptions. These documents have much to say about the Episcopal Church: what it has been, what it is, and what it needs to be.

Robert South (1634-1716) was one of the great Anglican writers and preachers of his age. A contemporary of Dryden and Locke, he faced the profound political and philosophical changes taking place at the beginning of the Enlightenment in England. With the interdependence of Church and State forcing a conjunction of religious and political issues, South's life and work as a preacher show him reacting to changes in civil and ecclesiastical polity over the course of his active public life. Gerard Reedy's book, the first major study of South, makes a strong case for the importance of his sermons, their complexity, beauty and wit, and their place in the history of post-Restoration English literature. Discussing sermons of South which deal with his theory of politics, language, the sacrament and mystery, Reedy reintroduces us to a lively and seminal master of prose, politics and theology in the late Stuart era.

An important new study of the life and ministry of the Anglican minister and Evangelical leader Charles Wesley (1707-88) which examines the often-neglected contribution made by John Wesley's younger brother to the early history of the Methodist movement. Charles Wesley's importance as the author of classic hymns like 'Love Divine' and 'O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing' is well known, but his wider contribution to Methodism, the Church of England and the Evangelical Revival has been overlooked. Gareth Lloyd presents a new appraisal of Charles Wesley based on his own papers and those of his friends and enemies. The picture of the Revival that results from a fresh examination of one of Methodism's most significant leaders offers a new perspective on the formative years of a denomination that today has an estimated 80 million members worldwide.

The Victorian crisis of faith has dominated discussions of religion and the Victorians. Stories are frequently told of prominent Victorians such as George Eliot losing their faith. This crisis is presented as demonstrating the intellectual weakness of Christianity as it was assaulted by new lines of thought such as Darwinism and biblical criticism. This study serves as a corrective to that narrative. It focuses on freethinking and Secularist leaders who came to faith. As sceptics, they had imbibed all the latest ideas that seemed to undermine faith; nevertheless, they went on to experience a crisis of doubt, and then to defend in their writings and lectures the intellectual cogency of Christianity. The Victorian crisis of doubt was surprisingly large. Telling this story serves to restore its true proportion and to reveal the intellectual strength of faith in the nineteenth century.

Barbara Brown Taylor is one of America's most renowned and beloved spiritual writers and author of the acclaimed An Altar in the World. Here she reflects on keeping faith and the relentless demands that characterise life for so many today. In this moving and memorable book she writes of her life and work as a priest and the burden of being one of the most celebrated preachers in America. She recalls with grace and wit what led her to priestly ministry, the privilege of exploring the mysteries of God with others, her growing fame, the crisis it provoked and the unexpected blessings that followed. Having been part of a team in a large urban church for ten years, she sought a parish of her own and it was love at first sight when she was invited to view a small rural parish in Georgia. Little did she imagine that here Jesus's words about losing one's life in order to find it would have such impact. She tells of the rapid growth of the church, the crowds who travelled miles to hear her preach, the tensions that arose - and the call to lay it all aside in order to rediscover the authentic heart of her faith.

John Henry Newman (1801-90) was brought up in the Church of England in the Evangelical tradition. An Oxford graduate and Fellow of Oriel College, he was appointed Vicar of St Mary's Oxford in 1828; from 1839 onwards he began to have doubts about the claims of the Anglican Church for Catholicity and in 1845 he was received into the Roman Catholic Church. He was made a Cardinal in 1879. His influence on both the restoration of Roman Catholicism in England and the advance of Catholic ideas in the Church of England was profound.
This key volume covers the final twenty-three months of Newman's Anglican years from November 1843 to 6 October 1845. It begins with Francis Rivington's refusal to publish Lives of the English Saints because of their Roman Catholic bias, and Newman's withdrawal from the editorship after the first two volumes of the series is published by another publishing house. The whole country is watching his every move. Rumours are rife and rampant. He is accused of being in the pay of the Pope. He is also accused of being a Jesuit or about to become one. But the attacks which really hit home are those accusing him of being a liar, a sceptic, and a traitor.
In February 1845, the University of Oxford's Convocation deprives William George Ward of his BA and MA Oxford degrees; and the proposal to censure Newman's Tract 90 is vetoed by two University Proctors. Newman sets to work in earnest on his Essay on Development, the publication of which will be the signal of his intentions to become a Roman Catholic. It goes to the printers in the third week of September. From this point on, events move swiftly. It is only a matter of days before Newman is received into the Churchof Rome by Father Dominic Barberi at Littlemore on 9 October 1845.

Challenges the tired orthodoxy that the Church of England had a bad First World War. In telling the story of the Church and its people in Colchester, a garrison town, Robert Beaken enlivens our understanding of the First World War - not only as a clash of mighty forces, but also at a personal and communal level.'The Very Rev. Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster The Church of England is popularly believed to have had a bad First World War. This book challenges that tired orthodoxy. It examines the relationship between parish churches and the Army during the war, using the important garrison town of Colchester as a case study. Colchester in 1914-18 was a microcosm both of English society and of the Church of England, in all their diversity. The presence of the Army also meant that wartime experiences and trends which were noticeable elsewhere in England were sharply felt in Colchester. For the generation of Britons who lived through the Great War, Christianity was an important part of their culture, world view and, in many instances, personal lives. To understand life on the home front during the war, it is vital to understand the part played by Christianity, and particularly by the parishes of the Church of England. With the help of newly discovered archival material, this book reassesses the relations between clergy, soldiers and civilians to show that, contrary to widely-held belief, the clergy and their parishioners responded to the crisis of 1914-18 with courage, common sense and self-sacrifice: their ministry kept much of the population going during the Great War. ROBERT BEAKEN is parish priest of St Mary the Virgin, Great Bardfield,and St Katharine, Little Bardfield, in Essex. He holds a PhD from King's College, London, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of seven works, including Cosmo Lang: Archbishop in War and Crisis(2012).

This selection from the most productive Christian pen of the 19th century is also an introduction to one of its most compelling and troubled minds. John Henry Newman (1801-1891) was a dominant figure in both the Anglican and the Roman Catholic churches. His writings and his human presence in Oxford and elsewhere had an abiding impact on both communions and contribute still to the spirit of ecumenicism. This bok concentrates on Newman's life and work up to 9 October 1845, the mid-point of his life and the moment be became a Roman Catholic. He was a prolific and subtle writer, a great prose artist whose sermons, tracts and polemics, together with a talent for organization and an ability to inspire others to faith and action, launched the Oxford Movement and the controversies that still follow from it. The 12 years between 1833 and 1845 are among the most important for English Christianity, and they were shaped for the most part by the pen and energy of Newman, a rather shy, quiet Oxford don, whose enduring legacy was to restore to the Church of England its Catholic heritage. Newman was complex and sometimes contradictory as a man, and even in his most formal writings the man is present, responding to social and political pressures of church and state. A great communicator, with a need for self-disclosure, he is nonetheless revealed "and" concealed in his writings.

This book explores popular support for the Church of England during a critical period, from the Stuart Restoration to the mid-eighteenth century, when Churchmen perceived themselves to be under attack from all sides. In many provincial parishes, the clergy also found themselves in dispute with their congregations. These incidents of dispute are the focus of a series of detailed case studies, drawn from the diocese of Salisbury, which help to bring the religion of the ordinary people to life, while placing local tensions in their broader national context. The period 1660-1740 provides important clues to the long-term decline in the popularity of the Church. Paradoxically, conflicts revealed not anticlericalism but a widely shared social consensus supporting the Anglican liturgy and clergy: the early eighteenth century witnessed a revival. Nevertheless, a defensive clergy turned inwards and proved too inflexible to respond to lay wishes for fuller participation in worship.

Scientific and historical studies in the Nineteenth-century challenged Christian believers to restate their faith in ways which took account of new knowledge. An example of this is the influence of philosophical idealism on a generation of writers and theologians, principally centred around the University of Oxford. However, these optimistic and socially-privileged men and women failed to come to terms with the mass movements and rapid changes in fin-de-siecle England. The Church moved out of touch with national life and is reaping the consequences today.