Bishops and Reform in the English Church, 1520-1559

KENNETH CARLETON. Bishops and Reform in English Church, 1520-1559. Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Boydell Press, 2001. Pp. 226, introduction, appendices, bibliography, indices. $75.00. This is third book in series Studies in Modern British Religious History by Boydell Press and is a revised version of author's doctoral thesis at King's College, London. Kenneth Carleton has identified a hole in secondary literature devoted to English Reformation that has needed exploration. Specifically, what did bishops who came into office during turbulent years of English Reformation(s) believe about theological significance of their episcopate? To answer this question, Carleton relies on writings of bishops, contemporary accounts about their beliefs and activities, and surviving episcopal registers. He also surveys older and more recent theologies of episcopate to develop this aspect of history of ideas. Besides obvious historical interest, Carleton is driven to his task by a theological interest in episcopate as the key to Anglican claim to catholicity, to continuity with past, and to its place as an authentic part of Church founded by Christ (6). In chapter one, Theologies of Episcopacy in Mid-Tudor England, bishops are considered in relation to their superiors on one hand and their dependents on other. In relation to their superiors, bishops of later Middle Ages were creatures of complex negotiations between popes and kings. Over time, role of king increased until Henry VIII severed English episcopate's dependence upon bishop of Rome. After Thomas Cranmer, only archbishop of Canterbury to receive pallium from Rome was Cardinal Pole. During interim between accessions of Cranmer and Pole, and after death of latter, English bishops found themselves dependents of monarch alone. Perhaps most interesting discussion in book, this section considers how bishops responded to this development. The author depends upon a careful reading of primary sources that is both nuanced and enlightening. The only difficulty this reviewer discovered was reference to swords doctrine as a Lutheran creation (17-18). To contrary, canon lawyers of period would have traced this commonplace doctrine back to early medieval Pope Gelasius. The rest of chapter one discusses relationship between episcopate and presbytery. Although theological foundation for distinction between two offices is ambiguous, official position of English church through chaotic years of Tudors continuously affirmed that bishops exercised both potestas iurisdictionis and potestas ordinis, while priests exercised latter sacramental power alone. In chapter two, Carleton considers episcopal models that these bishops sought to emulate. Both traditional and evangelical bishops looked to Scripture, especially example provided by Christ, and to examples among early church fathers. Among their contemporaries, traditionalist bishops often appealed to orthodox and humanist practices of John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, while evangelical bishops appreciated biblical life of Martin Bucer, reforming pastor of Strasbourg. Chapter three surveys type of people who became bishops during mid-Tudor years. The average age of a bishop at consecration during this time was 49, similar to that found during previous and subsequent generations. This episcopate, unlike those of earlier generations, contained few children of nobility. …