This is a huge book written by one of the most experienced and competent English liturgists, Bishop Colin Buchanan. This second edition brings the earlier work up to date so that many entries in the book refer to the year 2014. As its name implies it is a historical dictionary with Anglicanism as its subject extending over some 600 pages. The main part of the book is an alphabetical listing of just about any topic in Anglicanism you care to name. The focus is historical and so there is material from early Anglicanism in the sixteenth century right through until the present day. There are many articles on theological and liturgical matters as well. The entries are eclectic as you would expect, but nonetheless fascinating and informative. The articles cover the whole of the Anglican Communion in the present day with material on each of the provinces, including their liturgical products. The dictionary includes ecumenical entries as well as entries relating to other religious traditions, for example, Passover and some useful theological materials, such as, filioque and other controversial concepts in Anglicanism like eucharistic sacrifice and petitions for the departed. At all times the author is objective and intent on providing critical rather than partisan assessments. The material is current with an entry on the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby and material on the GAFCON movement. Significant people from the history of Anglicanism from its beginnings to the present day are also mentioned in their own articles. There are also substantial articles on various liturgical and architectural aspects of Anglicanism.

The book also contains a list of acronyms and abbreviations for just about every Anglican matter you could imagine. One of the most useful features for teachers and the general reader is a chronology of Anglicanism stretching over some 40 pages. The chronology includes dates in early Anglicanism, such as the martyrdom of St Alban in the third century and extends to the present day. The dates establish the point that Anglicanism did not begin in the reign of Henry VIII. There is also an extended essay called ‘Introduction’ that summarizes Anglican history in main periods. The dictionary ends with some appendixes, one usefully detailing the Archbishops of Canterbury from Augustine in 596 to the present day. It is less obvious why appendixes setting out the Thirty-Nine Articles and the Anglican Covenant are included. That said the appendix containing the Anglican Covenant sadly omits the Introduction to the Covenant, which is a useful statement to put the Covenant in place in the life of the Anglican Communion. An article in the dictionary gives the background to the Covenant and supplies details of how provinces voted but I don’t think the whole thing is needed. A simple web address to the Anglican Communion could have supplied the text. The dictionary concludes with an extensive bibliography on Anglicanism extending over some 40 pages.

This dictionary is a treasure trove of information about Anglicanism. The coverage is wide and you get the flavour for Anglicanism worldwide, not just in England, although of course the articles on English matters are extensive. The material covers all parties of Anglicanism without prejudicing one over the other and the author maintains a scrupulous objectivity throughout the dictionary.

I checked some dates and other data and found what I checked to be correct.

The scope of this book is staggering and clearly represents many years of patient and attentive scholarship and observation. This is a valuable addition to any Anglican theological library or for any Anglican.