What Is Anglicanism? (The Anglican Studies Series)

Given all that has been happening in Anglicanism over the past twenty years, this book is in some aspects dated. The author's perspective on certain matters is also a bit idiosyncratic (his comments on the relationship of church and state will seem particularly peculiar to American readers). Those caveats aside, this is a useful overview of the Anglican approach to being Christian. Holmes' discussion of Anglicanism's appeal to a "left brain" mode of spiritual experience is particularly insightful, as is his embrace of ambiguity. Possibly not the first thing to give someone who is just considering the Anglican/Episcopal tradition, but enriching for those who already have some background and/or experience.

By far one of the best "beginner's guides" - or easy-to-read reviews for current members - to Christianity through an Anglican lens. Holmes' comparison of Anglicanism's approach to theology to a three-legged stool is a timeless summary of the way our principles are formed: Scripture, Tradition AND Reason collectively are necessary for the Anglican theologian and parishioner's faith. Without any one of the three, just like a three-legged stool, the entire thing will topple over. I recommend this short, enjoyable read enthusiastically.

I read this years ago when I began attending church after an infidel adolescence and agnostic youth. Although I was brought up in the Episcopal Church, I was never interested in church and stopped attending as soon my parents let me. So as an adult I was searching for information about the church I had grown up in.There's a lot of history here, but I found little to help me understand what Anglicans actually believe, or why. Holmes correctly notes that Anglicanism is committed to the broad mainstream of Christian faith, but then he fails to spell out in a straight forward way what this mainstream is. So this is not a good beginner's book as you might expect from the title and length of this workHowever if you want to learn that Anglicanism "is a mode of making sense of the experience of God and a particular approach to the construction of reality" then you'll like this book. I didn't find that definition helpful twenty years ago and must confess I find it even less enlightening today, even though I know more about Anglican history and doctrine.When I was a relative beginner to Anglicanism, Holmes seemed to present a balanced view of this tradition, but now that I'm better informed, it's clear Holmes emphasizes one strand of Anglicanism as representative. It's really a picture of Western liberal Anglicanism, specifically the wooly minded USA variety I grew up in.But don't get me wrong. I'm not accusing Holmes of misrepresentation. I actually think he tries to be balanced in his views, but you'd never know from this book that, for instance, there is a large and influential Evangelical wing of global Anglicanism that's currently thriving all over the world even as Western Liberal Anglicanism declines. Neither would you know that the most widely read and known Anglicans -- Stott, Packer, and Wright--are Evangelicals. Admittedly, Holmes wrote almost forty years ago, but this kind of self absorbed lack of awareness still characterizes US Episcopalianism.

Knowledgeable, informative and practical. A great and concise source of Anglican history.

My wife is considering the priesthood, and this book will definitely help her through the discernment process. Thanks very much for this excellent work at an excellent price.

Very informative and easy to read. If you are Anglican and not sure what makes us different, this is a must read.

A great referrence book on the Anglo-Catholic denomination.

Excellent study material and references

good and efficientnot as impressed by the book but it was my choice