One, Catholic, and Apostolic: Samuel Seabury and the Early Episcopal Church [With CDROM]

Although Samuel Seabury is not an instantly recognizable name today, he was the pioneering figure in adapting Anglicanism to the American way of life in the touchy days after the Revolutionary War, when any sort of sympathy to the Union Jack was considered unpatriotic. Many of the reasons that Episcopalians are slightly different from Anglicans in liturgy and outlook can be traced to Seabury, the first Episcopal bishop in America. Marshall, an Episcopal bishop himself, used to teach liturgics at Yale Divinity School, so he brings to this academic biography a keen sensitivity for a maverick fellow bishop as well as an obvious love for the sacraments and the Book of Common Prayer. He ably chronicles Seabury's dedication, exhausting work and willingness to withstand personal criticism as he carried out his vision. One unusual aspect of this book is that it comes with an accompanying CD-ROM containing Seabury's correspondence, some relevant historical documents and other primary sources.