Anatomy of a controversy
Book Description
Victorian England witnessed religious debates that captivated entire communities, and none proved more significant than the controversy surrounding "Essays and Reviews." Josef Lewis Altholz examines this pivotal moment when traditional Anglican orthodoxy collided with progressive theological thinking, creating what he identifies as the era's most substantial crisis of faith.
This scholarly exploration reveals how religious controversy functioned as both entertainment and battleground in Victorian society. Altholz demonstrates how the conflict over "Essays and Reviews" represented the climactic moment of the Broad Church movement, a progressive faction within Anglicanism that sought to reconcile faith with modern intellectual developments.
Rather than simply recounting events, this work dissects the underlying dynamics of religious debate itself. Altholz analyzes the methods controversialists employed and the deeper psychological and spiritual forces that drove communities to engage so passionately in theological disputes. The book illuminates how this particular controversy, while appearing to end without clear resolution, actually marked a profound transformation in English religious consciousness.
For readers interested in understanding how spiritual communities navigate periods of theological upheaval, this study offers valuable insights into the patterns of religious conflict and change. Altholz presents this controversy as both a window into Victorian religious culture and a case study in how faith communities process doubt, challenge, and transformation during times of intellectual and spiritual transition.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~6 hours)
📄 Length: 198 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Essays and reviews
- ✓ Explore RELIGION / Christian Theology / Systematic
- ✓ Explore Broad Church (Mouvement)
- ✓ Explore RELIGION / Christianity / General
- ✓ Explore Church of england, doctrines
- ✓ Explore Church of England
- ✓ Explore Doctrines
- ✓ Explore Broad Church Movement
