The Development of the Canons

AFTER THREE AND A HALF CENTURIES of relative neglect, the Church of England embarked on a thoroughgoing reform of its Canons, which led to the promulgation of an entirely new series of them in 1964 and in 1969. A year later, the present General Synod was inaugurated, and since then the Church’s canon law has undergone a sometimes bewildering number of additions and alterations. Keeping track of these developments is not easy, because although the material is available, until now it has not been gathered together in one place or set out in a user-friendly format. This book is a compilation of the 1964/1969 Canons with all their many modifications in the first half-century of their existence. It has no legal authority of its own, and those wanting to know what Canons are currently in force will need to consult the official publications of the Church of England. This edition is a reference work aimed to clarify how the Church has developed its Canons over the past fifty years. As such, it will be of great benefit to historians, and to lawmakers in the Church who want to find out what has happened to the Canons in the recent past, even as they make new ones for the future. It is a snapshot taken in 2020 that provides a template for the study of a work that is still in progress, even as it continues to reflect the principles and practices that have guided its development since 1970.