The parish clergy in the diocese of Canterbury and archdeaconry of Bedford in the reign of Charles I and under the Commonwealth
This study is concerned with the nature of the parish ministry in the diocese of Canterbury and archdeaconry of Bedford, its educational, professional, economic and social status, its work and its relations with the laity. It is also concerned with the impact of the Civil War and Interregnum on the profession. The pre-Civil War clergy formed a professional group with its own hierarchy, set of rules, rudimentary form of training and career structure. There was a strong sense of professional identity amongst them. The parish ministry was a popular profession in which most ministers could expect resonable renumeration and some chance of promotion. It can be termed a distinct social group, reasonably close to the gentry in social standing. It is likely that most ministers fulfilled their duties; and it is also likely that behind many presentments for clerical negligence lay local conflicts. Between the Scylla and Charybdis of Arminianism and Laudianism on the one hand and Puritanism on the other lay the Anglicanism of the majority of the pre-Civil War clergy. The 1640's and 1650's was a period of extreme but temporary dislocation for the profession. A significant number of ministers were deprived of their livings.
Ignjatijevic, Gillian L.
Clergy's role under Charles I
The parish clergy in the diocese of Canterbury and archdeaconry of Bedford in the reign of Charles I and under the Commonwealth. This study is concerned with the nature of the parish ministry in the diocese of Canterbury and archdeaconry of Bedford, its educational, professional, economic and social status, its work and its relations with the laity. It is also concerned with the impact of the Civil War and Interregnum on the profession. The pre-Civil War clergy formed a professional group with its own hierarchy, set of rules, rudimentary form of training and career structure. There was a strong sense of professional identity amongst them. The parish ministry was a popular profession in which most ministers could expect resonable renumeration and some chance of promotion. It can be termed a distinct social group, reasonably close to the gentry in social standing. It is likely that most ministers fulfilled their duties; and it is also likely that behind many presentments for clerical negligence lay local conflicts. Between the Scylla and Charybdis of Arminianism and Laudianism on the one hand and Puritanism on the other lay the Anglicanism of the majority of the pre-Civil War clergy. The 1640's and 1650's was a period of extreme but temporary dislocation for the profession. A significant number of ministers were deprived of their livings.
parish_clergy diocese canterbury bedford reign charles commonwealth study concern_nature parish ministry diocese canterbury bedford educational professional economic_social status work relation laity also concerned impact civil war interregnum profession pre civil_war clergy form professional group hierarchy set_rule form train career structure strong_sense professional_identity amongst them parish ministry popular profession minister could expect chance promotion term distinct social_group reasonably close gentry social_standing likely minister fulfil duty also likely behind many clerical lay local conflict one_hand puritanism lay anglicanism majority pre civil_war clergy period extreme temporary dislocation profession significant_number minister deprive living