Product Description
This authoritative account of the Church in England covers its history from earliest times to the late twentieth century. Includes chapters on the Roman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Norman, and Medieval periods before a description of the Reformation and its effects, the Stuart period, and the Industrial Age, with a final chapter on the modern church through 1972. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

An Interesting and Informative Thorough History of the Church in England
Moorman has made the story of the church in England an interesting and intriguing read in addition to writing an informative history.He begins in the begining with the initial arrival of Christianity to the British Islands. These chapters are perhaps the most amazing, as we see early Christians courageous and sacrificial in their mission of sharing the gospel.

Moorman moves through the ages discussing the changes in the religious landscape and the political landscape.This is a pattern he follows throughout the book, as he addresses the changes in politics that affect or are due to religion.He provides important details at all stages of the history and highlights all of the key figures.

I think his explanations of the English Reformation and the development of the Church of England are exceptionally well done and simple.He provides writing on the different interests that led to the Church of England's break with Rome and all of the tensions between interested parties in the formation of Anglicanism.

He writes with enthusiam and an apparent passion for the Church of England and its history.The book is very well balanced covering all the time periods with as much writing as is needed.This is a book that would be good for readers who have little familiarity with the subject or for readers who hope to enhance their already adequate knowledge of the church in England.

Great source of information
With all that is going on in the Anglican Communion, it is valuable to find a volume that concisely and clearly traces this part of the Church.Some information contained in this book is very difficult to locate in some history books but this work outlines the history back to Apostolic times.Extremely helpful.

A most readable textbook
Reading Moorman was a delight because I did not find myself bogged down in the political intricacies and machinations of the English Reformation. He did a fair job of portraying the Edwardian Reformation and the age of Elizabeth and the Evangelical revivals of the 1700s. He also demonstrated sympathy for the Broad Churchmen and the role of reason and the challenges of modern science to a literal reading of Genesis. He was less sympathetic to the Oxford Movement and the efforts to re-catholicize the English Church, but not so much that an Anglo-Catholic reader would be overly offended. Overall a great read, but one that is still a very brief introduction to the complexities and nuances of that magnificent thing called Anglicanism as it has unfolded over the centuries.

Excellent book
A very complete, readable history of the church.I really like the author's writing style.

An Oustanding History Text
This book was a required text for a seminary class I'm taking on (duh) English Church History.Compared with previous Church History texts I've had to use, this one is absolutely outstanding.It will at times leave you wondering a little about the political or social context, because the focus is heavily on the Church.I find this to actually be a plus, as the secular side of things could probably double or triple the length of the book. Moorman reads very easily compared with other history texts, especially considering it's age.History is not my favorite subject, but I have thoroughly enjoyed this text (and the class). ... Read more

Product Description
Parish churches are England's glory. They enshrine the history of a people-their art, architecture, and faith. As public monuments, they house a gallery of vernacular art, from different periods and in a wide range of styles, that are without equal in the world. Award-winning English journalist Simon Jenkins has traveled the length and breadth of England to select his thousand best churches. Each entry is prefaced by a map locating the church and illustrated with full-color photographs from the Country Life Archive. Organized by county, each church is described, often with delightful asides, and is given a star rating from one to five, with the four- and five-star churches listed as the "hundred best." This complete guide is invaluable for anyone interested in touring England's best churches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

England's Thousand Best Churches
Not only is this a well written and very complete book on Anglican and Catholic churches in the UK, it is also a beautiful book to hold and look at. It is extremely well written and filled with historical details concerning construction and the background of the buildings. Illustrations emphasize most churches. The book is broken down into British Shires which makes for ease in finding specific churches.

England's Thousand Best Churches
An excellent resource for those interested in exploring the ecclesiastical treasures to be found in English towns and villages. Simon Jenkinswith his wealth of knowledge, has travelled, selected and describedchurches in enticing detail. Arranged county by county, he ranks churches with a star system and providesclear maps,excellent photos and a good glossary. But first of all be inspired by hiscomprehensiveand personal introduction to the history of England as expressed inits parish churches.

A Remarkable Book....
....on the history and architecture of England's Best Churches.

The main purpose of purchasing the book was to explore the architecture of these churches.The book is crammed with so many wonderful and descriptive pictures, it just makes the mind soar to new heights.

The imagination and engineering that went into these classic buildings is nearly incomprehensible.

If you love the beauty and the history of these majestic buildings, then this book is a must.

The Church as History's Thread -- Wonderfully Done!
I lived in England for a couple of years and travel back with regularity.On every visit, I make time to visit some of these ancient churches so, to put it mildly, I'm very biased in favor of this subject.Almost nothing compares with going to a weather worn parish church and finding the font where your ancestor was baptized some four hundred years before still in use - an experience I had some years back.With this background in mind, I'll simply say that Mr. Jenkin's work here is monumental and I don't use that term lightly.There are of course church's noticeably absent and one wishes the author could have found a way to include some ofEngland's cathedrals but that does not diminish his achievement.The English church is inextricably linked with English history and he has done them both a great justice by writing this book.

A good historico-geographic travelogue.
The historical background is good; very helpful as a travelogue. Author should have lessen his personal architectural taste. Splendid photos, specially the details. Good general information; but not so helpful for my purpose of getting ideas in designing small chapels. ... Read more

Product Description
The early churches of New England hold a special place in the American consciousness, revered for their physical beauty, simplicity, and elegance and for their role in the early history of this country. Places of worship they were and are, but they are also icons of a particularly American sensibility and artistic vision.

Photographer Steve Rosenthal has traveled throughout the northeast capturing the gems of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and tracing the evolution of church styles from the early, dramatically simple meetinghouse form through the changing patterns of Greek and Gothic revivals. His photographs capture the intrinsic beauty of the architecture while creating a world of rich order and rational light. He has frozen in time the New England buildings that may soon be—or have already been—lost in a chaotic, contemporary world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Steve Rosenthal."White on White".

This is a superb collection of photographs taken by Rosenthal over a number of years of various white-painted churches in New England.
He knows his subject, has been looking and photographing these delightful buildings with an architect's eye and a great photographer's skill.
It's a superb collection - every page could be mounted and framed - the entirety making up a gallery show of quality.
It's more than a coffee-table book. It's a visit to a collection of visual art by a photographer who knows his stuff.

Get your eyeglasses!
This is a beautiful collection of black & white photos of churches throughout New England. Many of the pictures just capture a corner of a building or an old door, so if you're looking for the traditional pictures of churches you may be disappointed. The play on light says a lot about the photographers' skills, capturing the many colors of white on white (perfect name for the book). Note the book's size, it's huge. The only negative comment is the gray lettering. I bought this for my elderly father and even I had trouble reading the very light, small gray print which defines each photo. I also would have liked to know a little history about each church pictured.

A real work of art!
What a magnificent collection of black and white photographs of New England churches!Simply breathtaking and almost surreal in the way in which Steve Rosenthal has captured the architectural beauty and spiritual essence of each house of worship.The man is a genius!A real work of art!

' White On White 'Among the finest
With this truly superlative book, Steve Rosenthal's mastery of the medium of large format B&W photography is evident from cover to cover. Every image is a stunner, so brilliantly conceived and executed that the term 'definitive' easily comes to mind.This book certainly belongs in the library of anyone interested in Fine Art imagery.........S. F. Wood

Immaculate, luminous, and transcendent
Beyond architectural photography, beyond the expected charm of a white church in a lovely setting, Steve Rosenthal has captured the essence of these New England churches in rich and astonishing clarity.With a nearly tactile quality, enhanced by the extraordinary size of the book and lusciousness of the paper, these images convey not only the detail, ornament, and structure of these special buildings, but also the way in which the buildings emphatically capture and define the space they occupy. No human appears in any photograph, leaving one with a sense of discovery and suspended animation.Patterns of windows open and closed, reflections in glass, the pure curve of a simple handrail, the riot of shingle patterns -- each image speaks volumes of the people who built these churches, and the communities they housed and anchored.

Framed beautifully with an eloquent essay by Verlyn Klinkenborg and an illuminating afterword by Robert Campbell, the churches are allowed to speak for themselves.An all-too-brief note from the photographer is balanced with an informative section of notes on the churches' histories, a short bibliography, and a very long list of acknowledgements.

As a student of architecture, I find the subjects -- the luscious details, the church buildings, and the quality of "place" they create -- to be endlessly fascinating. As a photographer, I am in awe of the precise, creative compositions and the technical quality of the images.As a book-lover, I delight in this book's restrained, elegant design.As a human, my spirit is lifted and calmed by this generous body of work. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
As an element in the Church's mission to proclaim the unchanging gospel, the House of Bishops considers it right to reaffirm the Church of England's teaching on marriage by restating that lifelong marriage should be one of the bedrocks of a rapidly changing society. This document seeks to relate this teaching to the pastoral needs of people in the community, so that they might approach marriage with confidence. It is intended that this document be used as a stimulus to commend marriage to all people in society and as a basis for teaching in churches. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: London : Wesleyan-Methodist Book-Room; Subjects: Religion / Christianity / Anglican; Religion / Christianity / Methodist; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

More Useful To Those Who Are Embarking On Theological Study
".....The general aim has been to make the book MORE USEFUL TO THOSE WHO ARE EMBARKING ON THEOLOGICAL STUDY in the middle of the twentieth century, without obscuring those qualities of accuracy, clarity, fair balance, and loyalty to the Church of England which have recommended the book to so many for over thirty years....."
[from the book of the preface to the third edition, by H. J. Carpenter, Keble College, Oxford] ... Read more

Product Description
Publisher: London : Hodder ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
In early Victorian England there was intense interest in understanding the early Church as an inspiration for contemporary sanctity. This was manifested in a surge in archaeological inquiry and also in the construction of new churches using medieval models. Some Anglicans began to use a much more complicated form of ritual involving vestments, candles, and incense. This "Anglo-Catholic" movement was vehemently opposed by evangelicals and dissenters, who saw this as the vanguard of full-blown "popery." The disputed buildings, objects, and art works were regarded by one side as idolatrous and by the other as sacred and beautiful expressions of devotion.Dominic Janes seeks to understand the fierce passions that were unleashed by the contended practices and artifacts - passions that found expression in litigation, in rowdy demonstrations, and even in physical violence. During this period, Janes observes, the wider culture was preoccupied with the idea of pollution caused by improper sexuality. The Anglo-Catholics had formulated a spiritual ethic that linked goodness and beauty. Their opponents saw this visual worship as dangerously sensual. In effect, this sacred material culture was seen as a sexual fetish. The origins of this understanding, Janes shows, lay in radical circles, often in the context of the production of anti-Catholic pornography which titillated with the contemplation of images of licentious priests, nuns, and monks. ... Read more

Product Description
This book provides readers with an account of the rivalry between the two kingdoms of Church and State between the years 1450 and 1660. England inherited, from medieval times, two systems of authority: the Church, governed by Pope and Bishops; and the State, ruled by Monarch and Lords.However, from the late fourteenth century onwards, this division was increasingly challenged by the laity's insistence on their right to choose not only between different systems of Church government but also between different forms of religious belief. The author charts the rivalry between clergy and laity's and shows how political and social developments between 1450 and 1660 were decisively influenced by this conflict. This second edition includes updates throughout the text in the light of recent scholarship and a new bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a bit dry
Claire Cross is obviously an intelligent woman.She uses words and phrases appropriate to the content, but that is obviously geared towards the professional or academic reader.I first tried reading this book ayear ago when my understanding of the content was naught.Frusturated, Ileft the book on the shelves until recently, when I revisited it andunderstood it for what it is worth.Armchair Historians would benefit inpassing this book by.

Cross does an excellent job of explaining how thecommon people of England began to change theit spiritual thinking from thatof the dictated Catholic Church to the free and open Prodestant Church. She focuses on aspects such as litarcy, the printing press, faith of themonarchs and general public opinion.From Luther to Lollards and beyond,this book does a fair job of explaining the phenomonon that is theReformation. ... Read more

Product Description
This book offers a fresh interpretation of the relationship between the church, society and religion across five centuries of change. Andrew Brown examines how the teachings of an increasingly universal Church were applied at a local level and how social change shaped the religious practices of the laity. His approach encompasses the structures of corporate religion, the devotional practices surrounding cults and saints, the effects of literacy (not least on the development of heresy), and how gender, class and political power affected and fragmented the expression of religion.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

very helpful
this book is an excellent textbook for anyone just getting into the subject area. Good for students and quick exam revision. i found it most helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Common Worship: Daily Prayer is the Daily Office of the Church of England. It offers a rich collection of devotional material including collects, psalms, seasonal variants and services of Morning and Evening Prayer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good resource
An excellent resource for parish clergy, or lay persons looking for a daily prayer "breviary." Beyond daily prayer, this book contains an amazing number of canticles from theusual and some unusual sources, antiphons for most occasions, and collects for more days than most of us will use. It also gives a wide choice of available daily prayer patterns, from the age-old morning, evening and compline pattern, to combinations of these, or only one daily prayer that combines elements from all the usual offices.

One less than satisfactory (but not unusual) limitation is that only "little chapter" readings are included in the book; longer readings require the use of the included lectionary and a Bible, ok for those at home or with their community, but less convenient for travellers as one needs to carry (or find) one more book. But that is a common problem with books of this kind, as to include the lectionary readings either requires printing in a point size that approaces unlegibility, or greatly increased volume and mass. [The only traveller's "breviary" that I have found that is complete in itself is the (Anglican) Franciscan "Celebrating Common Prayer" small travellers' edition, which includes daily scripture readings that are perhaps slighly more than "little chapters", but is otherwise fairly complex to use, given the Franciscan spirituality does not like repetition of much of anything from day to day.]

One very small caveat; the description of the book claims leather cover; the cover is a rubberized plastic, which feels very comfortable to the hand, seems to not stain easily, probably is easily cleaned, and is quite attractive; but not leather!

Recommended to anyone looking for a daily prayer resource for personal use, or a resource for worship planning; I would also recommend it for consideration to communities that pray together, but since I do not belong to such a community, I suggest independent evaluation. ... Read more

Product Description
Fredrica Harris Thompsett, a scholar of the English Reformation, introduces us to the role that history has played in creating and shaping the Episcopal Church as we know it today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Living with History New Church's teacing series v. 5
For me the book is helping me very much. It gives a new understanding of my church

Biased history
Dr. Thompsett is a competent historian but this work is not worthy of her standards.It leans too heavily on the '60s agenda and on a feminist viewpoint.She can do better.

History for today's world...
The Episcopal church in the twentieth century took advantage of the general availability of publishing to good advantage, compiling through several auspices different collections and teaching series, the latest of which was only completed a few years ago.There have been 'unofficial' collections of teaching texts, such as the Anglican Studies Series by Morehouse press, put out in the 1980s, as well as an earlier teaching series.However, each generation approaches things anew; the New Church Teaching Series, published by Cowley Publications (a company operated as part of the ministry of the Society of St. John the Evangelist - SSJE - one of the religious/monastic communities in the Episcopal church, based in the Boston area) is the most recent series, and in its thirteen volumes, explores in depth and breadth the theology, history, liturgy, ethics, mission and more of the modern Anglican vision in America.

This fifth volume, 'Living with History' by Fredrica Harris Thompsett, takes a look at the role of history in a unique way.Rather than looking at the linear description of history as a timeline of dates, times, places and people (some of which is covered in other volumes of this series anyway), she develops the idea of history in a 'backwards' fashion, by looking at key issues alive in the church today, and then tracing back to the historical forces that shape and influence those issues.

In one chapter, Thompsett looks at 'ten touchstones' of the history of the church and community.These begin with the call to be in covenant relationship with God (this occurs several times in the biblical texts, actually), through various points such as the Incarnation (Jesus in the world), the development of the Bible in English, etc.One may quibble with some of her choices; as an historian with a purpose, she is necessarily selective with regard to her developmental strands (indeed, every historian is selective, given the astonishing amount of detail available and limited number of pages any publisher is willing to print).

Issues Thompsett weaves together in this text include living with change (at one point she confesses there was a point that she thought the church would, and possibly should, never change), living with community (which includes history), and living with traditions and continuity.This is a very forward-looking volume.

Fredrica Harris Thompsett teaches church history at EDS, the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.A lay leader in the church (one of few laypersons among the authors of books in this or other church teaching series), she is a popular lecturer and conference leader.

Each of the texts is relatively short (only two of the volumes exceed 200 pages), the print and text of each easy to read, designed not for scholars but for the regular church-goer, but not condescending either - the authors operate on the assumption that the readers are genuinely interested in deepening their faith and practice.Each volume concludes with questions for use in discussion group settings, and with annotated lists of further readings recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
From birthday cakes and anniversary dinners to summer vacations at the beach, each family has its own ways of marking the days and seasons of its life. For the Christian family—especially Episcopalians—it’s no different. With an array of colors and an assortment of rich traditions, Episcopalians move through the Church year, marking the days and seasons that tell the story of Christ in our lives—in history and today.

This book—written for newcomers to the Episcopal Church as well as lifelong members—takes readers by the hand and leads them through the Church year, from the first Sunday of Advent through the last Sunday of Pentecost, answering questions like "Why do we use purple in Lent?" and "What does Maundy Thursday mean?"In an easy-to-read conversational style, Welcome to the Church Year introduces readers to the traditions of the Church seasons and explains why we do what we do.But it does more than offer interesting trivia about church vestments and pageantry. Its insights can help readers participate in the liturgies of the Church year in a deeper, more meaningful way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Welcome to the Church Year
All the Welcome to series are excellent, and I have purchased them.I have rated them 5 stars since they have "earned that designation" for me.I have, until recently, been a hit and miss Episcopalian so these books have really helped me to become comfortable and much more knowledgable.Well worth the money, for sure.

Time after time...
Time is a tricky thing to deal with theologically.There are elements of repetition, and elements of once-only.In our church experience, we look back on the once-only kinds of events (both historical and revelatory) through a cyclical pattern that has varying spans; perhaps the most significant is that of the church year, which follows the progress of the seasons, allowing for variation, but also adding stability to the way in which we as a community approach God and the narratives surrounding God's action in the world.

As Vicki Black states, there are two primary cycles in the church year.The first is the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle, and the second is the Lent-Easter-Pentecost cycle.Traditionally, the church year is said to begin at the first Sunday of Advent.This day is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas; while Christmas is always December 25, the variability in the calendar means that the actual date for the beginning of Advent changes from year to year.This cycle continues through the Epiphany, after which 'ordinary' time takes place until the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday.('Ordinary' time refers to the fact that these weeks are numbered with ordinal numbers - second Sunday after Epiphany, etc., and not to the fact that they are outside any of the greater seasons of the church.)

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls on different dates in different years, dependent upon the date of Easter.Unlike Christmas, which is fixed on the calendar (which is the Roman solar calendar still in primary use in the world), Easter shifts from year to year, as it is pegged to the Jewish celebration of the Passover, which is governed by a lunar calendar.Lent lasts for 40 days (exclusive of Sundays) until Easter.Holy Week is technically a part of Lent, but has different colours and aspects as things go up to Easter; the Easter season continues until the feast of the Pentecost 50 days later, at which time the church goes into the second, longer period of 'ordinary' time, until the advent of the next Advent season.

Black discusses each of these six elements (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany and Lent-Easter-Pentecost) in separate chapters, along with a special chapter on Holy Week, and an introductory chapter.Black's development is personal, in that she discusses how she incorporates this into her family with her husband and son; she also allows for variations of practice in different parishes and dioceses.There is a minimum of technical language here - the text is very accessible, yet doesn't 'talk down' to the reader.It is both engaging and inviting.

The book can be used by a discussion group at the church - despite the division into eight chapters, it could easily be used as a Lenten discussion book or for an inquirer's class to learn aspects of the church year.There are potential discussion questions listed at the back of each chapter.The book itself is rather short and easily read in a short time, but can be useful as a reference throughout the year, too.

This is part of a series by Morehouse Press, which also includes 'Welcome to the Book of Common Prayer' (also by Vicki Black), 'Welcome to Sunday' and 'Welcome to the Episcopal Church' (both by Christopher Webber).All of these books are great as introductions to the ways (sometimes mysterious) Episcopalians do things in church - useful for newcomers as well as life-long members who might never have learned the 'why' behind what the church does.

The Mystery of Christ in Time
This book is a wonderful introduction to the ways that Episcopalians/Anglicans both celebrate and remember the redemptive work of God in Jesus and then in the Holy Spirit.It is a short work that is easy to read, and includes discussion questions at the end of each chapter, making it idea for small-group discussions inside and outside of church.

Vicki Black is a deaconess in the Episcopal Church, USA.She writes as a fellow Christian on the way, as well as someone who has truly lived the Church Year and pondered its meaning deeply in her heart.One of the most personal elements of the book, however, is that she also writes as the mother of two young boys.Throughout the book she discusses different ways that she and her husband have sought to make the different feasts and fasts intelligible to her elder son (who was 5 years old at the time this book was written) so that, rather than being diverted by Santa Clause and the Easter bunny, he might see Christ more clearly.

There are seven seasons in the Church Year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter to Pentecost, and Pentecost/Trinity.At the heart of it all is the belief that Christmas did not simply happens 2,000 years ago, but happens now, "in the mystery of God choosing to dwell within humankind, a mystery that transcends all time" (p. 5).While discussing the seasons, Black discusses the development of both universal and local traditions, the history behind the seasons, the current liturgy in the Episcopal Church, USA, as well the Biblical readings and themes that permeate each season.A truly holistic worldview emerges.

I began reading this book shortly before Christmas Eve (so, while still in the season of Epiphany), and just finished it today, December 31, 2005.While America as a secular nation will celebrate tomorrow as "New Year's Day", I learned that in the Western Church, we celebrate tomorrow as the "Feast of the Holy Name".While in the secular arena, Christmas is just one day, I learned that for Christians, Christmas is a season that lasts for 12 days: from Christmas day to Epiphany (Jan. 6).

What has been opened up for me in reading this book is a sense that regardless of whatever national days or natural seasons are going on around me, there is a "higher" time that constantly is turning to God's own redemptive activity.It both fills the heart and the mind. ... Read more

Product Description
This study of John Wesley offers a detailed, critical evaluation of his complex relationship with his Mother Church. The book covers his upbringing in Epworth Rectory to his old age, when he affirmed, "In the church I will live and die, unless I am thrust out." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent book
This book by Frank Baker is undoubtedly the best book I have read concerning the relationship of John Wesley, the Methodist Church, and the Church of England. John Wesley was a son of the Church of England and remained an Anglican minister until his death. The problems that he faced in creating the Methodists and trying to provide for them are excellently documented by Baker in this outstanding book.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'" ... Read more