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The deep roots of Anglican moral theology

This book is without a doubt the most learned and sophisticated genealogy of Anglican moral theology in print. The book’s overarching aim, however, is simple: it seeks to demonstrate that while the term “Anglican moral theology” does not describe a monolithic approach to theological ethics, there is in fact an Anglican tradition of moral enquiry. One of the many merits of this volume is that it does not settle for easy answers. Is Anglican moral theology Reformed? Is it Catholic? According to Sedgwick, it is both, but this does not mean that it is reducible to some bastardized via media with no distinctive character. Is Anglican moral theology the product of theological genius, or can its genealogy be traced through the vagaries of English social and political upheaval in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries? Again, the answer is both, but the essence of Anglican moral theology—like Anglicanism itself—is not reducible to a set of key figures nor to the historical phenomena from which it emerged. It is the subtlety of Sedgwick’s analysis and the patience with which he draws his conclusions that make this book a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the subject. Sedgwick’s analysis traces Anglican moral theology all the way to its deepest historical roots. He is not content to begin his study with the post-Reformation Church of England. He begins with the Jewish Scriptures, the ministry of Jesus, and the practices of early church. In contrast to many other Anglican genealogies, he does not leap from the Church Fathers to 1517. While there is some truth to the claim that Anglican theology and ecclesiology have a distinctively patristic character, an overemphasis of this claim has led many to neglect the importance of the Middle Ages for understanding the development of Anglican identity. Sedgwick remedies this by dedicating an entire chapter to Abelard (1079–1142) and Aquinas (1225–1274), and another chapter to Scotus (1265– 1308), Ockham (1287–1347), and Mair (1467–1550). As Sedgwick tells the story, the Middle Ages are not merely “background” to the development of Anglican moral theology. Rather, this period is of no less importance than the Reformation for understanding the development of Anglican moral theology. The justification for this approach becomes clear by the time we get to the chapters on the Reformation. During this time, all the moralists in the European churches are engaging or reacting against the same scholastic training they have received, and the 1086902 ATR0010.1177/00033286221086902Anglican Theological ReviewReview in Depth review-article2022