Ecclesiastical History of England, Volume 5—The Church of the Revolution

In Short

This volume is a meticulous examination of the English Church during the reign of William III, covering the period from the 1688 Revolution through the early years of the 18th century. It captures the failed effort to reconcile Dissenters through the Comprehension Bill, the emergence of the Nonjurors—who refused to pledge allegiance to the new monarchy—and the fierce intellectual debates regarding the Trinity. By blending archival research with vivid accounts of clerical infighting, it documents a moment when England struggled to balance religious tradition with the demands of a modern, pluralistic state. Its lasting value lies in its granular, human look at the people behind the grand shifts in national policy.

The Story

The narrative begins with a Church of England in a state of precarious navigation. King James II, increasingly unpopular, finds himself pressured by the Anglican Bishops who, despite their loyalty to the crown, demand an end to the Ecclesiastical Commission and the restoration of civil liberties. These prelates, despite their own internal disagreements, become the unlikely architects of the crisis that leads to the flight of the King and the ascent of the Prince of Orange.

However, the "Glorious" nature of the transition hides deep fractures. Once William and Mary are enthroned, the Church finds itself divided by the new Oath of Allegiance. A significant group of clergy, the Nonjurors, refuse to recognize the new monarchs, viewing their oath to James as divinely binding. This schism tears through the fabric of the Church, leading to the deprivation of Archbishop Sancroft and the rise of more moderate, liberal-minded leaders like John Tillotson.

The book moves into the legislative heart of the era: the failed attempt at "Comprehension." Parliament and the Church attempt to draft a legislative bridge—the Comprehension Bill—meant to unite the Church with moderate Dissenters by relaxing strict requirements for ordination and ritual. The effort descends into agonizing debates over the validity of Presbyterian orders and the necessity of Episcopal hands. The author details these sessions with a sharp eye for the absurdity and frustration of the participants, who are often more concerned with institutional vanity than with spiritual unity.

As the political dust settles, the Church pivots toward internal theological disputes. The focus shifts from predestination—the obsession of the Commonwealth era—to the nature of the Trinity. Intellectuals like John Locke, though not a theologian by trade, become central figures, introducing a strain of rationalism that deeply unsettles traditionalists. This move toward reason in religion is met with both excitement and bitter accusation of heresy.

The narrative concludes in the early 1700s, observing a Church that has moved from the trauma of revolution to the rigidity of institutional conflict. The Convocation, the deliberative body of the clergy, becomes a theater for the fiery rhetoric of Francis Atterbury, who uses the assembly to fight for the independence of the Church against the encroaching authority of the State. The author leaves the reader with a portrait of a society that has secured political stability, yet remains haunted by the persistent, unhealed social and religious divisions that blossomed in the wake of the 1688 settlement.

How It Unfolds

The bishops’ petition The narrative opens with the Anglican leadership petitioning King James to reverse his authoritarian policies. They seek to restore the University of Oxford’s liberties and halt the rise of Roman Catholic influence within the administration.

The flight of the King The crisis reaches its breaking point when James II abandons his throne, leading to a period of total anarchy. The author describes the ensuing street violence, the burning of chapels, and the frantic attempts by the nobility to organize a provisional government.

The legislative failure The focus shifts to the House of Lords and the failed attempt to bridge the divide between the Church of England and Protestant Dissenters. Detailed reports from the time illustrate the pedantic squabbling over ordination rituals that ultimately doomed the movement for unity.

The rise of the Nonjurors A significant section explores the stubborn conscience of those who refused to accept the new King. These men face professional ruin and public ridicule, yet they remain committed to their interpretation of the divine right of kings.

The intellectual shift The book examines the transition from the heavy theological debates of the past to the new, rationalist focus on the Trinity. It highlights how thinkers like Locke challenged the clergy to reconcile their faith with the demands of reason.

The institutional stalemate The final movement follows the clerical disputes in the Convocation, where the power of the Church is debated in cold, drafty chambers. The arrival of figures like Atterbury signals the start of a new, more combative phase of ecclesiastical politics.

The People

The drama is driven by men caught between their principles and the reality of a changing world. Archbishop Sancroft stands as the archetype of the principled reactionary; his refusal to break his oath to James II represents the tragic isolation of the Nonjurors, who valued consistency over political survival. In contrast, John Tillotson embodies the spirit of the new regime—a man of moderate temper and significant oratorical skill, who is pushed by William III into the Primacy despite his own genuine reluctance to hold the office.

Francis Atterbury provides the story’s primary source of friction. A master of polemics and rhetorical sharp-edgedness, he turns the Church’s administrative meetings into battlegrounds. He thrives on the chaos of the Convocation, acting as a foil to the more conciliatory figures who seek a peaceful middle path. John Locke appears as an intellectual disruptor; his work on Christian evidences brings a cool, analytical rigor to the pulpit, forcing even the most traditional divines to engage with a new, evidence-based theology that they find both compelling and deeply threatening.

Finally, there is the shadow of James II, whose erratic governance serves as the catalyst for every conflict in the book. His inability to manage the competing interests of his subjects forces the Church into a position of leadership they were perhaps not equipped to handle, leaving the country to deal with the consequences long after his departure.

In Its Own Voice

The author describes the intense, often bitter debates surrounding the attempt to reform Church practices, noting the pettiness that accompanied them:

“The study of the whole Report is dreary work.”

Regarding the political isolation of those who refused to swear allegiance to the new monarchs, the author offers a sharp assessment of their character:

“The fixed ideas of a reactionary politician may be compared to madness.”

In describing the atmosphere of public unrest following the flight of the King, the author notes the sudden shift in popular sentiment:

“Oranges—symbolic of the Deliverer—were stuck on the ends of spikes and staves, and waved in triumph.”

What It's Really About

At its core, this book explores the high cost of institutional compromise. It investigates the tension between a national church's desire for unity and the rigid boundaries of its own dogmas. The author argues that the Revolution of 1688 did not merely resolve a political dispute; it fundamentally altered the English conscience, forcing the Church to confront its own obsolescence in an age of emerging rationalism.

The book asks whether a national institution can ever truly be comprehensive, or if the act of including one group inevitably alienates another. It treats the "failure" to unite the Church and Dissenters not just as a missed opportunity, but as the moment when the modern divide between religious and secular life began to solidify.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in the granular reality of religious history will find this an essential, if demanding, companion. The author’s strength lies in his refusal to simplify the past; he presents a world where faith was a matter of life and death, and where the smallest procedural error in a church meeting could have national consequences.

The book is not light reading. It assumes a degree of familiarity with the ecclesiastical terminology of the 17th century, and the prose—while warm and precise—reflects the dense, academic style of the late Victorian era. You will encounter long passages of debate and detailed accounts of obscure pamphlets that might test the patience of a casual reader. However, for those who value the "truthful shadows" of history over the sanitized versions often found in textbooks, the reward is immense.

What lingers after finishing is the sense of the "social separation" the author identifies. The way he traces how schoolmates and neighbors grew into strangers because of their theological differences remains a haunting observation on how ideological divides operate. The book serves as a reminder that the most significant events in a nation’s history are often settled not in the grand halls of power, but in the quiet, often petty, disagreements of people trying to reconcile their private conscience with their public duties. It is a thoughtful, sober, and deeply researched work that treats its subjects as complex human beings rather than mere figures in a historical drama.