There has been no serious study of Anglican bishops since Kenneth Kirk published Apostolic Ministry in 1946. This new book goes straight back to the New Testament and the Early Church to discover the little-known origins of episcopal ministry and how it came to Britain through the efforts of first the Celtic and then the Roman Church. Increasing politicisation by William the Conqueror and his successors is examined in depth, as is Cranmer's rediscovery of its essentially teaching and pasto...