The Episcopalians

Hein and Shattuck have risen to the challenge with this lively, well-balanced, and readable book.... Highly recommended." --CHOICE "The Episcopalians is a solid new history for the twenty-first century." --Robert Bruce Mullin, JOURNAL OF RELIGION "A real tour-de-force. Admirably balanced in coverage of historical periods and with a stunning list of biographical profiles, this book will become the standard reference for scholars and students alike. The authors draw on an array of primary sources and the most vital interpretive approaches to tell a fast-paced, well-written story of one of America's most influential religious bodies." --Charles H. Lippy, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga "What distinguishes The Episcopalians from other histories of the Episcopal Church is contextualization. Both newcomers and dyed-in-the-wool Episcopalians will be enlightened by the fresh approach of this vibrant history of the traditions, beliefs, and people who make up the mosaic of American Anglicanism." --Harold T. Lewis, Calvary Episcopal Church "One marvels at the clarity, eloquence and precision with which Gardiner Shattuck and David Hein have reviewed the history of the Episcopal Church. Theirs is in every way a splendidly written and highly readable book, and it deserves a large audience." --Nathan A. Scott, Jr, Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia The story of Episcopalians in America is the story of an influential denomination that has furnished a large share of the American political and cultural leadership. Beginning with the Episcopal Church's roots in sixteenth-century England, The Episcopalians offers a fresh account of its rise to prominence. Chronologically arranged, it traces the establishment of colonial Anglicanism in the New World through the birth of the Episcopal Church after the Revolution and its rise throughout the nineteenth century, ending with the complex array of forces that helped shape it in the 20th century and the consecration of Gene Robinson in 2003. The authors focus not only on the established leadership of the church but also to the experience of lay people, the form and function of sacred space, the evolution of church parties and theology, relations with other Christian communities, and the evolving ministries of women and minorities.