The English Reformation (with Q&A)

At a conference in 2006, David Holloway delivered four talks on the Church of England. The first of these talks was on the English Reformation. In it, he developed the thesis 'as there were many reformers, so likewise many reformations'. This seminal talk on the eight 'distinctives' of the English Reformation traces some of the key features of our own particular Reformation heritage. David suggests that these distinctives makes the English Reformation, as preserved in the formularies of the Church of England, 'the best'. The talk, substantially re-written, was recently delivered to staff from St Helen's and other church plants. Not all will agree with every aspect of this talk. But this will drive us back to re-examine the Scriptures—the very thing the English Reformers wished us to do. A transcript of the talk, along with the correction David provided to the Oxford English Dictionary on the subject of the church, is available as a handout.