Why Study the Past? The Quest for the Historical Church

It is good to see that the Archbishop of Canterbury is able to continue high-level scholarly work in spite of the administrative burdens of his office. This book is an elaboration of his 2003 Sarum Lectures in which he explores the history of the Church as a way of understanding who we are now. He also considers the church's identity in relation to its divine origin and the way in which it represents the body of Christ. None of this is idealised, but becomes rather an ongoing task as well as a historical process. We can reflect on who we are by reflecting equally on the the corresponding insights of key historical figures.