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The Church of England and constitutional reform: the Enabling Act in British politics and English religion, 1913–1928

Williamson, Philip

The Church of England and constitutional reform: the Enabling Act in British politics and English religion, 1913–1928 Thumbnail


Authors

Philip Williamson



Abstract

In 1919, a parliamentary act reconstructed the relations between the British state and the Church of England. The passage of this act had considerable constitutional, political, ecclesiastical, and religious significance, and it is best understood by considering all of these aspects together. The church obtained a new statutory status, a large degree of self-government, and a special legislative procedure that augmented the privileges of its ecclesiastical establishment. All this was achieved without the intense political struggles that had accompanied many church and state issues during the previous hundred years. The apparent ease of the Enabling Act's passage was symptomatic of transformations in the relationship between the Church of England and nonconformity, in public religion, and in the character of British politics. But it was also the outcome of an impressive feat of persuasion and organization. Although the act did not secure the intended degree of spiritual independence, as became painfully evident during the parliamentary prayer book crisis in 1927–28, it placed the church establishment in a more secure position, allowing it to reform its administration and finances and to gain further advantages and new forms of relevance in future years.

Citation

Williamson, P. (2023). The Church of England and constitutional reform: the Enabling Act in British politics and English religion, 1913–1928. Journal of British Studies, 62(2), 445-475. https://doi.org/10.1017/jbr.2022.174

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 16, 2022
Online Publication Date Jan 9, 2023
Publication Date 2023-04
Deposit Date Jan 18, 2023
Publicly Available Date Jan 18, 2023
Journal Journal of British Studies
Print ISSN 0021-9371
Electronic ISSN 1545-6986
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 62
Issue 2
Pages 445-475
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/jbr.2022.174

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