Parliament and the Church

Abstract

The histories of parliament and the Church of England are inextricably linked. The Church of England, indeed, is in many respects a parliamentary church, created in a burst of law making during the Reformation. Consequently, parliament has always played a central role in debates about the relationship between church and state, in defining the position and treatment of non-anglicans, and even in discussions about the doctrine, discipline and government of the Church of England. At the same time, the right of parliament to decide on such issues has often provoked controversy because its role in religious affairs has never been clearly defined. These are the issues that link the essays printed in this volume. Through the examination of a range of case studies in the period from the Reformation to the mid-twentieth century, the contributors highlight the centrality of religion in English history and illuminate the history of the Church of England as well as of parliament.