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Title: The Anglican Spiritual Tradition by John R.H. Moorman ISBN: 0-87243-139-8 Publisher: Templegate Publishers Pub. Date: 01 October, 1985 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (1 review)
Rating: 5
Summary: A spiritual path
Comment: John Moorman led an interesting ecclesial and academic life. As bishop of Ripon, he was a senior Anglican churchman, and was made the principal Anglican Observer to Vatican II. He was also in charge of the Chichester Theological College, and a member of ARCIC (the Anglican/Roman Catholic International Commission) working for greater ecumenical relations. Despite these administrative and pastoral charges, Moorman still found the time to explore the deeper aspects of Christian spirituality, concentrating on Franciscan spirituality as well as the subject of this volume, the unique characteristics of Anglican spirituality.
One of the more interesting parts of Moorman's discussion of Anglican spirituality from the Reformation to the present is his ability to weave narrative theological devices into his overall historical study. The book begins with the story of the Rev. James Whyte as a prologue. Whyte (a fictional character) was a priest during the time stretching from when King Henry VIII was still a staunch Roman Catholic (Defender of the Faith, no less) to the early days of Queen Elizabeth. This is a fascinating period of flip-flop in the Church of England, and seen from the perspective of an 'average' country parson rather than the political intrigues of court, it gives a good deal of insight into some of the formative sensibilities of the Anglican ethos.
The early days were informative for overall Anglican spirituality because it is here that it makes its distinction from older forms of Catholic spirituality; for all the criticism that Anglicans endure at not giving proper respect and weight to scripture, Moorman identifies the advent of the Bible in English, accessible to all the people, as a key part of Anglican spirituality. Moorman gives a brief history of the early development of the English Bible and its general acceptance. Another key aspect is the Book of Common Prayer, another book slowly developed, that continues to have the primary shaping aspect to Anglicans worldwide, even as they use variations quite different from the original (or originals) from this early period. Key to the development over time of the Book of Common Prayer has been an attempt (one meaning of the Via Media) to chart a path that enables Catholics and Protestants to worship together according to the will of God.
Theologically speaking, the reformation in England had a different basis from continental reformers. Whereas for Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others on the continent, their reforms came through their theological difficulties with the dominant church, and this resulted in a formal break. In England, the formal break came first -- in many ways, Henry VIII would have been a contented Roman Catholic in all but papal allegiance; the development of more Protestant-oriented theologies came as a result of the break, rather than vice versa.
Moorman traces developments of spirituality from these origins through the different periods of Anglicanism -- he looks at the continuing issue of being Catholic but Reformed, the influence of the various Puritan and Protestant off-shoots from the Anglican church, with particular attention to Wesley, as well as movements within the Anglican church, such as the Oxford Movement. It is in the final two chapters that Moorman's text connects most to the modern world, looking at developments in the last century, as well as giving a general overview of principles of Anglican spirituality. Developments of note include the overall decline in church attendance and status in society, which has a profound impact on general spiritual health, which despite lower institutional participation still is of great importance to most people. Other developments include the reintroduction of monastic life into the Anglican tradition, and the increasing publishing of spiritual works.
Moorman likens the more modern trend of publishing works on spirituality to the trend in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries of publishing sermons -- great numbers of volumes of sermons were published and purchased by interested publics, but this is no longer the case. Despite the fact that there is still good preaching going on, 'no one wants to read them', Moorman states. The reintroduction of the Eucharist as the primary service is also shaping Anglican spirituality once again, in some ways back toward a catholic sensibility; the pendulum continues to swing.
Evelyn Underhill describes the sense of Anglican spirituality as one of reverence, sobriety, moral earnestness and sturdy realism in the book 'Worship', looking for a balance in things. Moorman does a good job at surveying this sensibility.
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Title: A History of the Church in England by John R.H. Moorman ISBN: 081921406X Publisher: Morehouse Group Pub. Date: 01 June, 1986 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Study of Anglicanism by Stephen Sykes, John Booty, Jonathan Knight ISBN: 080063151X Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers Pub. Date: 01 August, 1998 List Price(USD): $36.00 |
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Title: A Priest's Handbook: The Ceremonies of the Church by Dennis Michno ISBN: 0819217689 Publisher: Morehouse Group Pub. Date: 01 August, 1998 List Price(USD): $34.00 |
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