Restore the original government of Churches and the unity it meant to guard.
This historical discourse argues for returning to the primitive order of church governance, focusing on presbyteries over bishops and the vital work of teaching, preaching, and pastoral oversight.
In this edition, Herbert Thorndike’s work is presented as a careful appeal to reconcile tradition with reform. It examines past abuses, the responsibilities of church leaders, and the enduring question of how a church body should be governed in harmony with its foundational principles. The text emphasizes the need for ordered succession, accountability, and a shared vision that preserves reverence, truth, and unity within the Church.
- A clear definition of the roles within church leadership, with emphasis on the presbyterate and its vital labor in word and doctrine.
- A discussion of how governance should support pastoral care, teaching, and the safeguarding of sound faith.
- A historical perspective on the dangers of faction, schism, and unilateral power, along with arguments for restoration, not destruction, of established order.
- An invitation to readers to consider how ancient models can inform contemporary church practice while respecting current realities.
Ideal for readers of church history, ecclesiastical law, and scholarship on Anglican governance, this edition helps clarify how medieval and early modern debates about order and unity still resonate today.
DAVID LEWIS was the federal NDP leader from 1971 to 1975. He died in 1981.