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.

About the Author
Anthony Milton is Professor of History at the University of Sheffield. His publications include Catholic and Reformed: The Roman and Protestant Churches in English Protestant Thought, 1600-1640 (Cambridge University Press, 1995) and Laudian and royalist polemic in seventeenth-century England: The career and writings of Peter Heylyn (Manchester University Press, 2007).

Reviews
The Oxford History of Anglicanism thus supplies an invaluable study of the Anglican Church's importance and influence for any scholar of these periods, even those not directly engaged with ecclesiastical or religious history. * Alice J. Soulieux-Evans, Reformation *
As the first comprehensive study of Anglicanism to embrace conflict, rather than shy away from it, Volume 1 makes a major and unprecedented mark on the field, and its utility for scholars working in the period is unmatched. * Ryan Hackenbracht, Milton Quarterly *
Even to someone who is broadly familiar with the territory, the narrative and analysis provided in this volume and its successors frequently prove fresh and thought-provoking, often frankly nothing less than enthralling ... the matters covered in this first volume can be seen as contributing in a formative and decisive way to what eventually became known by the overdetermined, capacious and intriguing label 'Anglicanism'. * Paul Avis, Theology *
This series represents the most comprehensive study of Anglicanism to date. This series will take its place as a vital resource for scholarship and will serve as a milestone in the development of Anglican studies ... it is an extraordinary resource. It synthesizes a wide range of scholarship on Anglicanism. It ought to be the first point of reference for research on any aspect of Anglican history ... This is a collection that belongs in every library dedicated to the study of history and religion. * Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, Anglican and Episcopal History *
Each chapter is comprehensively footnoted and supplied with a select bibliography, making this an indispensable volume for those who want to learn more about the origins of the term Anglicanism, and about the faith professed in a century-and-a-half of religious turmoil in these islands. * S. Nicholas Cranfield, Church Times *
[This volume is] replete with the most recent scholarship and rigorous research by some of the most able and impressive historians working in the field today. For anyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the terrain of the current debates surrounding the English Reformation, this cannot be too highly recommended. * Edward Manger, Ordained Servant *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198822318
Author Anthony Milton
Format Paperback
Page Count 528
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 772g
Dimensions(mm) 232mm * 156mm * 28mm