Anglicanism

by Stephen Neill

Bishop Neill's history of Anglicanism.

Genres: Theology, Church History, Religion

422 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given that this history of Anglicanism was published in 1958, it is a bit dated. Nonetheless, it is still a very good survey of the history of the Church of England and its daughter churches. At various times, the author commends a more Presbyterian form of church government for the Anglican communion and praises instances of it happening through synods and greater lay participation.

[Carlos Pellot · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me the better part of 2013 to go through this book. I'd like to call it my slow-cook read for the year. It's actually a book that begs to be read for those interested in all things Anglican. Stephen Neill was not only a outstanding writer but also a master historian. An extremely competent scholar with an equally extremely accesible narrative. One feature I found surprising in his writing was his wit and humor. You gotta love an academic that makes you laugh when reading his work! Perhaps because he was also a bishop, that human/relational connection which seems to be very much a part of him invariably gets reflected in his writings.

'Anglicanism' is a must-read historical overview of the birth and spread of the Anglican faith and tradition throughout the world. While the book's latest edition dates back to 1977 making it outdated in some regards, most of the book's contents remain fresh and relevant for Anglicans of our day. Neill's insights into matters of Anglican faith and practice, especially at the onset of the Reformation draw you in with force.

The material is arranged in chapters devoted to a particular century since the first centuries onward. The bulk of the book is taken up with the English (Revolution) Reformation of the 16th century under Edwardd VI via Thomas Cranmer to the whirlwind of Marian persecution under Mary to the development doctrine and discipline under Elizabeth up to Anglican Communion affairs of the 20th century several chapters later.

The author acknowledges Anglicanism's many weaknesses and is puzzled at the fact that the Church of England remains a living institution given that it's has been beset repeatedly throughout its history by so many threats and dangers from within. But the way the Church has withstood the test of time indicates that it still has a role to play in global Christian Church matters.

The reader will also appreciate reading about the liturgical developments that gave us the Book of Common Prayer, developments that continue shape Anglican worship and identity in the world today.

Loved reading this book and thank God for Stephen Neill's humility in having the courage to tell the story in all its splendor and horror.

[Palmyrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a funny old faith, Anglicanism. To some, it’s a political creation, invented to help Henry VIII of England get over his marital problems. To others, it’s ‘the Conservative Party at prayer’ or the spiritual arm of British imperialism. Its origins are Apostolic and Catholic, its doctrines are Protestant, its rituals and administration the product of endless controversy and compromise. Neill’s book was first published in 1965, yet despite the schism over women priests and homosexual ones that has since split the church, that first edition still makes useful reading. Neill makes a good case for the historical and doctrinal legitimacy of the Church of England and its descendants in the Anglican communion, and though his presentation is often muddled or distorted by his allegiance to the faith, his scholarship is hard to fault. As an introduction to the history, liturgy and doctrines of Anglicanism, this is a pretty good book, but read it with a pinch of salt as you would all religious histories written by the faithful.

[Dan Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a history of the Anglican church, touching on its key movements, figures, debates and iterations. It ends in the early to mid 1970s so is out of date with any of the debates past that point, including the divisions caused by the Canadian Anglican and American Episcopal churches decision to ordain homosexual priests and conduct same-sex marriages/blessings. Thus, the resultant conservative movements (ANiC, ACNA, GAFCON, etc.) are not included. It would be nice to see someone update this work to bring it to relevance for recent Anglicanism. I had to read this for a course along with several other Anglican history and theology works. It is helpful and informative although many readers will find it quite dry.

[Trevor Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat with this book for a while. I bought it in a bookshop in Inverness, read a good chunk on the flight home and then left it sitting, read it in fits and starts throughout the next couple of months. My erratic reading says nothing of the quality, however, which is top-notch. Neill gives a fantastic introduction to Anglicanism. I particularly enjoyed the chapters surrounding the Reformation and Thomas Cranmer. It does get a bit boring and tedious in chapters 13 and 14 when discussing the mission of the church. It seems like an exhaustive (though it isn’t) account of trying to define diocesan borders in various parts of the world. Other than that, I loved this book, and I highly recommend it to any student of Anglicanism.

[Cal Davie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful little tour around the history and theology of Anglicanism, and how it relates to other denominations. This book was written in 1958, so obviously much has changed. It is however amazing how helpful its analysis of the Anglican Communion is until that date. I've learnt a lot, and enjoyed exploring the history of my church a little further.

[Lari · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read, comprehensive history of Anglicanism up to the 1950s.

[Timothy Hoiland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anglicanism by Stephen Neill was first published in 1958 and has been out of print for decades. My copy is a 1965 Pelican paperback with an original price of $1.95. Like most paperbacks old enough to receive AARP mailers, it has that musty old book smell. Spending time with this book over the past few weeks, I’ve handled it gently, fearing the very real possibility of disintegration. Thankfully, the spine has so far remained intact.

It’s a surprisingly sturdy book. Which is fitting.

When Katie and I tell people what led us into Anglicanism, sturdiness is one of the words we’re likely to use. It’s not a word that sounds especially great coming off the tongue. And it’s kind of boring as a concept, I know. But when you need something to be sturdy, well, you need it to be sturdy. And at a time when we found ourselves suddenly without a church home, that’s exactly what we needed. Years later, we haven’t stopped needing it.

Innovation has its place in science and business and other problem-solving endeavors. But innovation is overrated when it comes to church. We came to Anglicanism well acquainted with churches with ambitious leaders bent on being first, best, biggest, boldest – and whose members demand more, more, more. It was exhausting. And spiritually speaking, it felt structurally unsound.

We needed a church and a tradition that were sturdy enough to withstand the storms of life, a church that wasn’t constantly tinkering with everything from lighting fixtures to load-bearing walls. We were under no illusions that Anglicanism would be perfect, and it hasn’t been – Lord have mercy, it hasn’t been. But at its best, one of this tradition’s enduring attributes – embodied week by week in Sunday worship in congregations around the world, including ours here in Phoenix – is its sturdiness.

As to the book at hand, Anglicanism is an engaging and conversational survey of the complicated history of the tradition over the past several centuries. Stephen Neill (1900-1984), an Irish Anglican who served as a bishop in India, begins his account with the church in England before the Reformation, continues through Bloody Mary and Thomas Cranmer and the first Book of Common Prayer, and concludes in the mid-twentieth century, by which time Anglicanism had become a diverse global communion with a rich (and at times problematic) array of local expressions. It’s a realistic accounting of the story, warts and all. It’s also informed by a steady, quiet hope.

There’s a lot in this book that reinforces the notion of Anglican sturdiness. But there’s a lot of innovation in the story as well, and I take that to heart. There are times when sturdiness becomes stuckness, and that’s a problem. It’s one thing to know you’ve inherited nuanced, hard-won wisdom and to want – with all your heart – to safeguard it; it’s another thing to believe you never need to change.

[Jonathan Frazier]

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