Brief History of the Episcopal Church

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Summary: Fair and Caring History Gives Context to Modern Church
Review: Dr. David Holmes's Brief History is important reading for anyone interested in the Episcopal Church, being engaging in its style and tone, comprehensive in its coverage, and useful in its bibliography. Dr. Holmes helped me, an Episcopalian of 30 years, make fair and caring sense of the many currents of religious thought that I first learned about in the late 1960s, and to place them into their historical and theological contexts both within and outside the Episcopal Church. Those currents too often divide and discourage rather than unite and uplift us, and we Episcopalians could argue a lot less (even about liturgy and music!), or at least argue with more community, if we learned the historical facts and the gently suggested lessons that this book can teach us. We also might come away feeling more kinship, not only with other Episcopalians whose views we may not share, but also with other denominations, with whom we share more than many of us (including this reviewer) probably know.

Rating:
Summary: A "brief history" that will appeal to many
Review: Good history pairs accurate facts with clear analysis. Great history adds fresh ideas, compelling personal accounts, and a genuine passion for the subject matter. In this engaging book on the Episcopal church, David Holmes has written history of the best kind.

As a professor at the College of William and Mary, Holmes commands knowledge of both church development and European and American history. Yet his simple, direct language makes complex topics clear to readers unfamiliar with church history or religious studies in general. His research also makes Episcopal history relevant to a wide range of audiences.

In a chapter entitled "The Growth of the Episcopal Church," Holmes chronicles the church's post-Colonial development. The diversity in this section shines. With fascinating detail, the author describes Anglican attempts to evangelize Native Americans, touches on foreign missions, and writes about the effect of immigration on the church.

Holmes also deals deftly with the role of African-Americans in the church, beginning with the baptism of an African-American family at Jamestown in 1623. He objectively describes the church's response to slavery and the Civil War, and explains the subsequent disaffection of many African-Americans from the denomination.

Finally, Holmes brilliantly chronicles the little-known role of women in areas such as missionary work and the social gospel movement. The book tells the stories of several women affected by the national debate over women's ordination in the 1960's and 1970's.

Even without the detailed and lively history that comprises its six main chapters, Holmes's book would be worth reading for its fascinating appendix, which chronicles Henry VIII's quest for an annulment from Catherine of Aragon. In an exceedingly well-researched account, Holmes balances historical detail with human interest drama that will captivate readers of all levels.

With lively prose and compelling analysis, this "brief history" will be a delight for scholars, laity, and history buffs alike.

Rating:
Summary: A Brief History of the Episcopal Church
Review: I enjoyed reading this book by David L. Holmes. He goes into great detail about the Episcopal religion, and its history from the Anglican Reformation to the present. He not only tells when some Anglican traditions started but what other religions were doing during the same time frame. This book has given me a real hunger for doing more research on the Episcopal Faith