"A man of extremes - w.g. ward as a member of the church of England"

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the role of W.G. Ward in the Oxford Movement, with specific reference to his series of Articles in the British Critic and his book 'The Ideal, of a Christian Church.' In the Introduction we examine Ward's family background, and his early education. We also consider the influence of Thomas Arnold, and Ward's 'conversion' to the new Movement through the influence of J.H. Newman. Chapter One deals with Tract Ninety and Ward's defence of it. Chapter Two contains Ward's explanation of his ideas to Pusey, and extracts from the correspondence of Newman and Pusey. In Chapter Three we examine in detail each of Ward's eight Articles in the British Critic. Chapter Four describes the embarrassment that Ward and his group had caused to other members of the Movement, and outlines specifically William Palmer's criticism. In Chapter Five we see Ward's reply in the form of his book 'The Ideal of a Christian Church,' which was largely a development of the ideas expressed in the British Critic Articles. In the final Chapter, we see reactions to Ward's book from different quarters, the disciplinary measures taken against him and his departure from the Church of England to the Church of Rome in 1845.