At the 119th Synod of the Diocese of Mid-America, my bishop, the Rt. Rev. Ray Sutton, recommended a book that deserves far more attention than it receives: Theophilus Anglicanus; or, Manual of Instruction on the Church, and the Anglican Branch of It, by Christopher Wordsworth, Bishop of Lincoln.

What the Book Offers

Wordsworth explains the nature of the Church, Anglican theology, the ordained ministry, public worship, and the relationship of the Anglican tradition to the historic Catholic Church. He does so through questions and answers, each supported by references to Scripture, the Fathers, and the Anglican divines.

That format makes the book useful well beyond the study. Clergy will find it a ready reference. Catechists will find a model for teaching. Laypeople who want to understand why Anglicans believe and worship as they do will find clear answers and a trail of sources to follow.

The PDF shared here is the fifteenth edition, published in 1890. It is a nineteenth-century work written for the Church of England of its day, and some sections, especially those on Church and State, reflect that setting. Its account of the Church, Scripture, ministry, and worship remains useful for teaching and study today.

Making It Easier to Study

I am beginning to draw on Theophilus Anglicanus as a major supporting resource for AnglicanWiki.org, so that its material is easier to discover and study. I am also glad to share that Dr. Ben Bernier at Cranmer House in Dallas, Texas, is currently translating the work into Spanish.

I commend this book to you. Start with the Anglican Wiki article, then download the full text and read it for yourself.

• Explore Theophilus Anglicanus on Anglican Wiki
• Download the 1890 edition of Theophilus Anglicanus (PDF)