An Oxford Handbook on the Oxford Movement is a welcome addition to the study of the Oxford Movement. The book is handsome and beautifully presented and a vital resource for those interested in the Oxford Movement. It is a big book with a big agenda. Oxford Handbooks claim to offer authoritative and up-to-date surveys of original research in particular subject areas. This particular subject area, the Oxford Movement, is one that continues to attract much interest among scholars, particularly in recent years, and so the many quality and useful articles in this volume will undoubtedly make a great contribution to scholarship on the Oxford Movement. The book is published in 2017 but material from 2015 and earlier reassessing one of the big names of the Oxford Movement, Edward Pusey, especially on a significant figure is not cited in the articles. Pusey studies, such as my own book The Eucharistic Theology of Edward Bouverie Pusey (Brill, 2015), are increasing and yet this recent work on Pusey, published well before 2017, is not mentioned in the chapters which mention Pusey, despite the fact that many other works dated 2015 are listed. This seems to be a serious omission, casting doubt on the claim that this handbook really is up-to-date in its survey of the area. The reader has only to read the first couple of pages to find the name Newman mentioned several times and others, such as Keble and Pusey, referred to as ‘associates’. It was to be hoped that the fascination with Newman would be moderated in a work that is authoritative and up-to-date. Professor David Brown’s work discussing Pusey as consistent and wise is not used and Professor David Jasper’s work on Coleridge and his influence on the Oxford Movement, especially sacramentality, does not even rate a mention. These criticisms lead one to question the methodology of the authors, who in the Introduction are said to ‘seek to present a more rounded and balanced portrait of the Oxford Movement’ (p. 2).

Despite these initial criticisms and the disappointment of finding a Newman-centric approach in the first few pages, and which continues in Part I, this handbook is an important work. It is divided into eight sections with an ‘Afterword’. Part I presents six chapters on the origins and historical context of the Oxford Movement, first looking backwards to the legacy of previous centuries for the Oxford Movement and the development of the High Church tradition. Chapter 1 ‘The Legacy of the “Caroline Divines”, Restoration, and the Emergence of the High Church Tradition’ by Andrew Starkie and Chapter 2 ‘“The Communion of the Primitive Church”? High Churchmen in England c. 1710–1760’ by Richard Sharp are excellent overviews of the periods prior to the Oxford Movement but the reader is left wondering about the connections to the Oxford Movement itself. Only at the end of Chapter 2 are a couple of hints given. It would have been useful to connect the dots and show how the Oxford Movement valued the witness of the early church Fathers and the primitive model of episcopal authority in the church. Leaders such as Newman and Pusey believed that the early church model was much more reliable than any Reformation model. References to the Caroline Divines and the early church Fathers were frequent in the work of the members of the Oxford Movement and yet reading these two chapters does not communicate this fact. Chapter 3 ‘The Evangelical Background’ by Grayson Carter is much more useful in making the connection between the Evangelical background and the Oxford Movement, especially in the way it treats the debt of both Newman and Pusey to the Evangelical heritage even though they eventually abandoned it. Nigel Aston in Chapter 4 discusses ‘High Church Presence and Persistence’ examining the enduring role of the High Churchmen of the eighteenth century for the Oxford Movement, making the important points that their doctrinal and mildly ritualist practices fed into the Oxford Movement with a rich heritage that afforded the Tractarians of the 1830s a solid theological foundation. Aston’s referencing is problematic with Strong and Gregory mentioned in the text but not listed in the references to the annoyance of the reader who may wish to follow up these references. Stephen Prickett’s Chapter 5 ‘Tractarianism and the Lake Poets’ gives detailed and excellent information about the interaction of Wordsworth and Keble as well as Coleridge and Newman but surprisingly omits any reference to Pusey’s 1836 Lectures on Types and Prophecies of the Old Testament where he refers to these poets in drawing out the implication for a realist theology. S.T. Coleridge’s clear exposition of the role of nature in relation to eucharistic theology, for example in the poem To Nature (c. 1820) and his references in The Statesman’s Manual to the wheels of the chariot in Ezekiel, as pointed out by Professor David Jasper, have clear implications for the later development of realist eucharistic theology, vital to the Tractarians, especially Pusey, but these remain unconsidered. Considering the importance of the Eucharist for the Tractarians, such connections could have formed an important part of this chapter. Chapter 6 ‘Pre-Tractarian Oxford: Oriel and the Noetics’ by Peter Nockles presents an outstanding treatment of the interactions at Oriel College in the period prior to the Oxford Movement. The concentration is on Newman and this one college, which while important, neglects the experiences of other leaders of the Movement.

Part II consists of six chapters overviewing the early years of the Oxford Movement and looking at some of the individuals in the context of Oxford and discussing some of the major controversies. The first chapter ‘Keble, Froude, Newman, and Pusey’ rapidly turns to an almost exclusive consideration of Newman. The treatment of Pusey is cursory with important references, such as Frappell’s later work missing and with a dependence on Forrester’s outmoded and prejudiced work which is countered in both my research and the book Edward Bouverie Pusey and the Oxford Movement (Anthem, 2012) edited by Rowan Strong and Carol Engelhardt Herringer. Once again up-to-date sources are not cited. James Pereiro’s chapter ‘A Cloud of Witnesses’ follows and is an excellent overview of the various publishing ventures of the Tractarians. Peter Nockles in Chapter 9 ‘Conflicts in Oxford’ looks very carefully and well at the divisive issues of subscription and admission of dissenters to the university, the Hampden controversy and educational reform in the university. His conclusion that the Oxford Movement had educational and academic as well as theological vision, and that the two were intimately intertwined is well argued. Austin Cooper’s Chapter 10 on ‘The Tracts for the Times’ is a masterly presentation. Not only does Cooper relate the history of the Tracts but he also plumbs the depths of their theological message, all within a few pages of excellent critical discussion. Tract 90 is not considered here since it is the subject of a separate chapter in Part IV. I was left longing to hear Cooper’s take on Tract 90. Chapter 11 continues the exploration of the Tracts in ‘Tractarian Visions of History’ by Kenneth Parker looking at successionism, supersessionism and developmentalism as the histographical metanarrative which informed the Oxford Movement. Parker skilfully explores the way the leading thinkers of the Movement used the metanarratives of the Christian past such that they appropriated history to suit their purposes. Part II concludes with an excellent chapter called ‘Protestant reactions: Oxford, 1838–1846’ by Andrew Atherstone. He sets out the main Protestant objections to Tractarians: the rejection of the Protestant Reformers, the Protestant Formularies and Protestant Truth. While this is a well-written chapter packed with excellent material, sadly it does not concede that Tractarians like Pusey also defended the formularies of the Church of England with great vigour. Pusey’s substantial work on the Prayer Book, the 39 Articles, the Catechism and the Homilies is surely worth mentioning to balance the argument. It is also interesting to note that the only reaction to Newman’s Tract 90 which is mentioned in any depth is that of Ward, who left for Rome. Reference to Pusey’s substantial work on Newman’s work would have been useful to balance the extremes. Once again recent research on the Oxford Movement is not mentioned in this Handbook. James Pereiro in Chapter 13 ‘The Oxford Movement’s Theory of Religious Knowledge’ details very useful work in relation to Keble, Newman, Froude and Ward relating to ethos, realizing and reserve, but ends with a problematic assessment of Pusey as a Tractarian. Pereiro questions whether Pusey even embraced the core principles of the Oxford Movement. George Westhaver’s research and indeed my own suggests that for Pusey, intellectual activity was never enough and that he advocated a higher form of reason offering an intuitive vision of spiritual and supra-sensual insights which distinguished his epistemological commitments from the empiricism of others. These empirical commitments were apparent as early as 1836 in Pusey’s Lectures on Types and Prophecies, but this remains unmentioned in the chapter and suggests that the chapter is lacking not only in its assessment of Pusey but in the wider analysis of the theory of religious knowledge in the Oxford Movement.

Part III looks at particular theological matters related to the Oxford Movement. These include knowledge, ethos, tradition, development, ecclesiology, Scripture, justification, sanctification, mysticism and sacramentalism, sermons and poetry. George Westhaver’s excellent chapter entitled ‘Mysticism and Sacramentalism in the Oxford Movement’ corrects many of the previous omissions, especially relating to Pusey. Westhaver cites the 1836 Lectures on Types and Prophecies of the Old Testament, not surprisingly since this is his area and formed a great part of his doctoral research. This is a masterly chapter and highly commended.

Part IV looks at the years of crisis for the Oxford Movement following Newman’s departure to Rome and Tract 90. Sadly, as in other parts of this book Newman dominates here. One wonders why Pusey’s 1843 crisis in regard to eucharistic theology and the crisis of later years in relation to biblical scholarship are not mentioned. Perhaps the traditional and outmoded views of Pusey, as obscurantist and conservative, underpin the analysis and so his dismissal from discussion. Perhaps also the lack of up-to-date sources is the problem here.

Part V looks at the social and political impact of the Oxford Movement and its influence on pastoral ministry and parish life. The matters of architecture, the visual arts, music, hymns, devotional life and liturgy are also considered. The influence of the Oxford Movement on poetry and the novel also is included in this part of the book.

Part VI looks beyond England and examines the impact of the Oxford Movement in the wider Anglican scene. The influence on missions and ecumenical movement is also considered.

Part VII discusses how the influence of the Oxford Movement continued into the twentieth century, especially related to the Anglo-Catholic Congresses and the revision of the Prayer Book in the 1920s. The way in which the Oxford Movement continued to interact with other traditions is considered along with some of the party divisions, and concludes this part of the book.

In the Afterword by Colin Podmore there is an assessment of the continuing influence of the Oxford Movement today, in the Anglican Communion. Colin Podmore points to many of these outward objects which can be attributed to the influence of the Oxford Movement, but more importantly he correctly argues that the centrality of the Eucharist is the lasting legacy of the Oxford Movement for the Anglican Communion, not only for Anglo-Catholics but all Anglicans, who rediscovered their own heritage. The Oxford Movement has also significantly influenced theological education and the rediscovery of monasticism. Podmore rightly points to the ecclesiology rediscovered by the Oxford Movement which moved way beyond outward forms and notes that Pusey was cautious about outward forms but strong on the doctrinal certainty of the church. In the modern age there is considerable liturgical diversity and Anglican Catholics display a wide diversity of practice and belief causing some tensions in the first part of the twentieth century. The inheritors of the Oxford Movement have been required to adapt to many modern issues and this in itself has caused tension, not only in regard to gender issues but also in sexual ethics. Podmore notes the modern groups that have developed within the Catholic heritage of Anglicanism – such as Affirming Catholicism and the Society of Catholic Priests, including Forward in Faith, whose heritage can be traced to the Oxford Movement. In the present days those who trace their heritage from the Oxford Movement and its ancient roots stand somewhat divided still as some believe they can remain loyal to the Tractarian ideals while at the same time adapting to modern issues, while others believe that their loyalty to the Tractarian heritage must reject them. Whatever the position taken by Anglicans, this book argues that both Catholics and others have been substantially influenced by the Oxford Movement. This is an important book, deserving to be widely read, and despite my quibbles above about up-to-date research and refusal to perpetuate outmoded views, takes its place in the significant literature on the Oxford Movement.