Anglicanism

Anglicanism by Mark Chapman (Oxford University Press, 2006)
ISBN: 9780192806932
Condition: As New — which, in the Crappy Old Books hierarchy, means this book looks as though it has never been anywhere near a damp vestry, dusty church library, or theological student’s overstuffed satchel. The cover gleams, the spine is uncreased, the pages are crisp and unsullied — almost too pristine for a tradition that thrives on gentle wear and tear, mild contradictions, and occasional theological scuff marks.

Part of OUP’s mighty “Very Short Introductions” series, this slim yet weighty little paperback does exactly what Anglicanism itself tries to do: contain multitudes with good humour. Mark Chapman, Oxford don and ecclesiastical tour guide, distils centuries of ecclesiastical wrangling into bite-sized wisdom. He takes you from Henry VIII and the invention of an entire church system (via a messy divorce), through Elizabethan settlements, Victorian controversies, colonial exports, right up to modern-day global communion tensions — all without breaking a sweat or losing his wry sense of balance.

What you get is a brisk, witty crash course in why Anglicans are simultaneously Catholic, Protestant, and yet uniquely themselves — masters of compromise, lovers of liturgy (sometimes), hymn-singers par excellence, and global citizens whose only true unifying force may be tea and a fondness for polite disagreement.

Our copy is As New: it looks like it’s been preserved in a theological stasis bubble since publication. No creased corners, no pew-bench indentations, no spilled communion wine, no student graffiti muttering “Hooker = important???” in biro. It’s as if this book has been waiting patiently for you to stroll in, pick it up, and begin your whirlwind tour of Anglican quirks.

If you’ve ever:

• Wanted to know why Anglicans can pray the same prayer in wildly different accents across five continents,

• Wondered how a church can be both ancient and indecisively modern,

• Or simply needed a compact volume to explain the peculiar genius of Anglican fudge…

…then here it is.

Perfect for: theology students, cradle Anglicans in need of a user manual, clergy preparing witty dinner-party answers, or anyone curious about how a communion of 85 million people manages to stay together mostly by the grace of God and a good pot of tea.

Condition like new.

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