Oxford Movement/Tractarians

John H Newman maintained it was Keble's sermon National Apostasy preached 14th July 1833 in St. Mary¹s Oxford that started the Oxford, or Tractarian movement. Keble's vision and the overriding aim of the Oxford Movement was for an Anglican revival. Liberal teaching was perceived a great danger and so Newman, Pusey, Keble, Froude, Isaac Williams (from Aberystwyth) and others began to issue a Series of Tracts for The Times hence they were also known as Tractarians.

The situation was thought best combated by a recourse to the historic teaching of Catholic Christianity. The Tractarians detested the view that they were innovators nor did they appreciate being considered a movement of thought, rather they were restoring catholic thought and piety.

The first Tract was called Thoughts on the Ministerial Commission Respectfully Addressed to the Clergy. This tract of Newman's laid down the fundamental principle of Tractarian faith and practice.

"There are some who rest their divine commission on their own unsupported assertion, others who rest it on popularity; others, on their success; and others, who rest it on temporal distinctions. This last case has perhaps, been too much our own; I fear we have neglected the real ground on which our authority is built - OUR APOSTOLIC DESCENT... The LORD JESUS CHRIST gave His SPIRIT to His Apostles; they in turn laid their hands on those who should succeed him; and those again on others; and the sacred gift has been handed down to our present Bishops, who have appointed us as their assistants and in some senses representatives." (9th Sept. 1833)

This belief in the Apostolic Succession rested on the authority of Scripture and the Early Church as did all their subsequent writing.

Newman believed that by the providence of God the Church of England held an intermediate position between protestants and catholics. England and Wales had survived the reformation with its catholic creed and ministry, although these had been obscured by an increase in protestant practice. Newman believed that the church must shake this off and discover its real self i.e. a second reformation was needed. Following some bitter opposition Newman became a Roman Catholic in 1845 and was followed by others which really brought the demise of the Tractarians as the Oxford movement. In 1864 Newman published his autobiography, Apologia Pro Vita Sua in which he vindicated his life and change of belief. It was immediately recognised as a classic amongst autobiographies.

While the Oxford Movement may have come to an end the ethos it represented particularly in regard to the architecture of church buildings, music, anglo-catholic spirituality and worship continued as evidenced by the Talbots their choice of John Loughborough Pearson to build St. Theodore's Church and the founding by Olivia Talbot of St. Michael and All Angels Theological College illustrates the firm foundation and existence of the Parish of St. Theodore, Port Talbot within Catholic and Apostolic faith and devotion.

 

Copyright - Parish of St. Theodore, Port Talbot - Webdesign by ImageIn Designs
commissioned photography by Electra Studios