From earliest times the Western Church has fiercely debated questions about the place of the ministry within the Church and Church government. What requirements should be met by candidates for holy orders and what do we expect of priests and ministers: personal holiness, training for their calling, social skills or merely the possession of official ordination? The Church has at different times produced very different answers and the 30 scholars from Britain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, whose papers in this volume follow the course of the debate concerning the good shepherd from the early church through to modern times, show on the one hand what happens to Christian communities that have lost a clear view of the functions of the ministry and on the other just how much trust people have always placed in their priests and pastors. With contributions by Anton Weiler, Charles Caspers, Robert Swanson, Petty Bange, Mathilde van Dijk, Claire Cross, Fred van Lieburg, Ingrid Dobbe, Frank van de Pol, Eamon Duffy, Joke Spaans, Trevor Johnson, Gian Ackermans, David Wykes, Jeremy Gregory, W.M. Jacob, Joris van Eijnatten, Nigel Yates, David Bos, Leo Kenis, F.G.M. Broeyer, Frances Knight, John Tomlinson, Stuart Mews, Lieve Gevers and Ian Jones.

The "Dutch Review of Church History" is a long-established periodical, primarily devoted to the history of Christianity. It contains articles in this field as well as in other specialised related areas. For many years the "Dutch Review of Church History" has established itself as an unrivalled resource for the subject both in the major research libraries of the world and in the private collections of professors and scholars. Now published as an annual the "Dutch Review of Church History" offers you an easy way to stay on top of your discipline. With an international circulation, the "Dutch Review of Church History" provides its readers with articles in English, French and German. Frequent theme issues allow deeper, cutting-edge discussion of selected topics. An extensive book review section is included in every issue keeping you up to date with all the latest information in the field of Church history. Contributors to vol. 84 include: Brenda Bolton, E.P. Bos, Amy Nelson Burnett, Riemer A. Faber, Wim Francois, Sarah Hamilton, R. Ward Holder, J. Andreas Lowe, Herbert Migsch, Arie L. Molendijk, Jaap van Moolenbroek, Andrew Pettegree, M.B. Pranger, Arnold Provoost, Peter Raedts, Frans Pieter van Stam, Mirjam G.K. van Veen, J. Vree, and Anton G. Weiler.

From earliest times the Western Church has fiercely debated questions about the place of the ministry within the Church and Church government. What requirements should be met by candidates for holy orders and what do we expect of priests and ministers: personal holiness, training for their calling, social skills or merely the possession of official ordination? The Church has at different times produced very different answers and the 30 scholars from Britain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, whose papers in this volume follow the course of the debate concerning the good shepherd from the early church through to modern times, show on the one hand what happens to Christian communities that have lost a clear view of the functions of the ministry and on the other just how much trust people have always placed in their priests and pastors. With contributions by Anton Weiler, Charles Caspers, Robert Swanson, Petty Bange, Mathilde van Dijk, Claire Cross, Fred van Lieburg, Ingrid Dobbe, Frank van de Pol, Eamon Duffy, Joke Spaans, Trevor Johnson, Gian Ackermans, David Wykes, Jeremy Gregory, W.M. Jacob, Joris van Eijnatten, Nigel Yates, David Bos, Leo Kenis, F.G.M. Broeyer, Frances Knight, John Tomlinson, Stuart Mews, Lieve Gevers and Ian Jones.

This rich volume by an interdisciplinary group of American and European scholars offers an innovative portrait of the complex formation of clerical and confessional identities within the context of the radically changed religious and political situations in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe.

Minister of the Word, shepherd and teacher—the titles of Dutch pastors exude authority and prestige. In the course of the nineteenth century, however, their social position was slowly undermined by the separation of church and state, the emancipation of Catholics and dissenters, and the rise of all sorts of secular “shepherds” and “teachers.” This work of historical sociology analyzes the development of the profession of pastor in the Netherlands Reformed Church, focusing on pastors’ changing relationships with the state, the universities, other professions, and their own congregants. It paints a surprising, lively, and often humorous picture of nineteenth-century ecclesiastical and religious life, and of the many areas of Dutch society and culture where pastors made their mark—in particular, the literary world.

Frontcover -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part One: Entrants to the Clerical Profession, 1780-1839 -- 1. Recruitment to the Established Church -- 2. Episcopal Ordination: Policy and Practice -- Part Two: Routes to Ordination -- 3. The Ordinand and the University -- 4. Literate Clergy and the Grammar Schools -- 5. Autodidacts, Tutors for Orders and Parish Clerical Seminaries -- Conclusion -- Appendix 1. Ordination Profiles of Bishops, 1780-1839 -- Appendix 2. A Note on Methodology -- Bibliography -- Index

The nineteenth century was one of the most fascinating and volatile periods in Christian history. It was during this time that Christianity evolved into a truly global religion, which led to an ever greater variety of ways for Christians to express and profess their faith. Frances Knight addresses the crucial question of how Christianity contributed to individual identity in a context of widespread urbanisation and modernisation. She explores important topics such as the Evangelical revival led by the likes of the founder of the Christian Mission - later the Salvation Army - William Booth; the Oxford Movement under Newman, Keble and Pusey; Mormonism and Protestant revivalism in the USA; socialism and the impacts of Karl Marx and anarchism; continuing theological divisions between Protestants and Catholics; and the development of pilgrimage and devotion at places like Lourdes and Knock. Her book also examines the most significant intellectual trends, such as the rise of critical approaches to the Bible, and the different directions that these took in Britain and America. The author's unique emphasis on the 'ordinary' experience of Christians worldwide makes her volume indispensable for students and general readers who will be fascinated by this sensitive twenty-first century perspective on the nineteenth century.

In A Companion to Priesthood and Holy Orders in the Middle Ages, a select group of scholars explain the rise and function of priests and deacons in the Middle Ages. Though priests were sometimes viewed through the lens of function, the medieval priesthood was also defined ontologically–those marked by God who performed the sacraments and confected the Eucharist. While their role grew in importance, medieval priests continued to fulfil the role of preacher, confessor and provider of pastoral care. As the concept of ordination changed theologically the practices and status of bishops, priests and deacons continued to be refined, with many of these medieval discussions continuing to the present day.

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 two of The Oxford History of Anglicanism explores the period between 1662 and 1829 when its defining features were arguably its establishment status, which gave the Church of England a political and social position greater than before or since. The contributors explore the consequences for the Anglican Church of its establishment position and the effects of being the established Church of an emerging global power. The volume examines the ways in which the Anglican Church engaged with Evangelicalism and the Enlightenment; outlines the constitutional position and main challenges and opportunities facing the Church; considers the Anglican Church in the regions and parts of the growing British Empire; and includes a number of thematic chapters assessing continuity and change.

Recent research in early modern print media and the early enlightenment have dramatically changed the way we look at the Dutch Republic in the later seventeenth century. For a long time, this was an underresearched area. Interdisciplinary approaches now demonstrate how a dense, varied, and for its time, technically advanced media landscape managed to involve intellectuals, politicians and craftsmen in debates on current issues. Based on a small corpus of enigmatic satirical prints, so far overlooked by art historians and historians of religion alike, this book explores how polarization between theological schools during the reign of stadholder William III triggered, necessarily covert, debates on the shortcomings of early modern Churches that prepared the way for a more enlightened religious culture.