A Book Review from the Rev. Steve Rice, D.Min., (‘15)

Glorious Battle: The Cultural Politics of Victorian Anglo-Catholicism. By John Shelton Reed. Nashville, Tennessee: Vanderbilt University Press, 1996. Pp. x + 357. Cloth $35.35.

John Shelton Reed’s Glorious Battle: The Cultural Politics of Victorian Anglo-Catholicism is more than the social history of a movement within Anglicanism; it also opens a fascinating sociological and theological window into our current COVID and anticipates our post-COVID ecclesial realities.  

Reed, a scholar whose academic interests range from barbecue to birettas, was professor of sociology and director of the Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Glorious Battle is not a survey of the theological or historical elements of the Tractarian (1833-1842) and Sub-Tractarian strata of the Oxford Movement, although he does a fine job of covering both. The book is an examination of the movement from the lens of a sociologist. Reed explores what was going on in Victorian England society that led to the rise of Sub-Tractarian Ritualists and their successes and conflicts that followed.  

For a student of the Oxford Movement, or for a priest or lay person who has found great resonance within the catholic tradition of Anglicanism, this book will be a fascinating read. Reed, without bias, presents sociological data either to challenge or confirm many points of the Anglo-Catholic canon. Reed explores the movement among the working class, the advent of “slum parishes,” and the attraction of the movement to both women and men. With sharp wit and keen observation, Reed explores the controversial personalities of the movement, both the bold and the eccentric, and how they often clashed with bishops and the law. Anglo-Catholics will perhaps recognize themselves in the book as Reed describes how Anglo-Catholicism became a culture and how, for instance, ritualist priests would flash their party badge, as they differentiate themselves by writing “S.” instead of “St.” or date their letters by writing “The Eve of St Chad” (guilty!).

Priests and lay leaders will perhaps be surprised at how relatable the characters and conflicts are in Glorious Battle. The Ritualists struggled with religious apathy in their parishes and planted their flag on the conviction that if the holiness of beauty could be on display, the beauty of holiness would naturally follow. Reed recounts parish conflicts over vestments, use of incense, and how many of the loudest voices of opposition were also the ones least likely to darken the door for worship. Through their correspondence, we see the frustration and despondency of many priests who were worn down by the constant struggle for the catholic vision to catch fire in the hearts of their people. 

A good read in any season, Glorious Battle is now pertinent through the lens of COVID. As a sociological account, many of the themes that facilitated the Ritualist movement (and conflicts) are present in the Episcopal Church today. Among those themes, Reed explores the breakdown of the parish system, as urban growth resulted in a proliferation of church building, giving city-dwellers more options than their legal parish boundary. COVID has also blurred the lines of parish affiliation as virtually every congregation is online, providing a new marketplace for theological and liturgical practice. 

Ritualist priests were often resentful of the results of their predecessors’ attempts to convey the Christian faith. Reed quotes R. F. Littledale, who summarizes this sentiment: “The newfangled ways have all failed, and we think it worthwhile to try the old ones again. They succeeded thoroughly once, and they may not have lost their virtue yet.” As the church comes to terms with the inadequacy of our formation to sustain and form Christians during a pandemic, perhaps many will find voice in the words of Littledale. 

Reed’s illustration of the role of bishops may also seem familiar. While not ignoring the connected and supportive bishops, Reed also demonstrates that many bishops were aloof and unprepared to deal with the new challenges that came with an industrialized and more urban England. The tension between priests and bishops will be familiar. In a characteristically humorous line, Reed says, “The new generation of Anglo-Catholics, like the old, combined high theoretical esteem for bishops with an uncanny ability to provoke the ones actually existing in the Church of England.”  

The battle lines are no longer over Reservation of the Sacrament or candles on the altar but over withholding the chalice and even entering the church building. Readers will discover with great interest the persecution of clergy under the Public Worship Regulation Act and how contemporaneous it seems with certain quarters of the church. 

These factors—breakdown of the parish system, theological apathy, disconnected bishops, and legal persecution—all contributed to a kind of a radicalization of young clergy in Victorian England. Reed shows how this radicalization resulted in both fruit and fracture. It is a timely reminder in the midst of the current COVID climate, a reminder that gives a word of caution while at the same time a cheer of encouragement for the glorious battle that lies ahead.  

The Rev. Steve Rice has served as rector of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, since 2008. Ordained a priest in 2005, Fr. Rice holds a B.A. in Psychology from Erskine College, a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and a Doctor of Ministry (liturgics) from Nashotah House. Fr. Rice established the Abraham Project in 2011 and the Society of St Joseph of Arimathea in 2016.

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Friends often come across books by the recommendations of those they know. We are excited to offer a monthly series called “What’s On Your Shelf?” We’ve asked several people to chime in and let us know what they’re reading. As a result, Nashotah House’s Chapter is pleased to present monthly book reviews from alumni, friends, faculty, and board members. Do you have a favorite book you’ve read recently? We hope you’ll let us know about it. Please email chapter@nashotah.edu if you have any questions and more information about how we may post your review.