The American Cyclopædia (1879)/Tractarianism

TRACTARIANISM, a movement within the church of England, so called from a series of papers entitled “Tracts for the Times,” published at Oxford from 1833 to 1841. It may be traced to the agitation of Roman Catholic emancipation in parliament, and particularly to the suppression of the sees of the Irish bishops who voted against the reform bill in the house of lords in 1831. An address deprecating change, and urging a revival of the ancient discipline, was presented to the archbishop of Canterbury, signed by 7,000 clergymen; in the following May the king alluded to the movement in his birthday speech; and meetings were held throughout the country in behalf of the maintenance of the church. The sentiments now advocated had been already expressed by the Rev. John Keble in his “Christian Year” (1827), and by the Rev. Hugh James Rose in the “British Magazine.” In July, 1833, a conference was held at Hadleigh, which led to the publication of the “Tracts for the Times.” These were 90 in number, and consisted of extracts from the writings of the ante-Nicene fathers and some later ecclesiastical authorities, and original works by E. B. Pusey, John Keble, Isaac Williams, John Henry Newman, and others. They advocated the doctrines of apostolical succession, baptismal regeneration, the real presence, priestly absolution, the authority of the church, and the value of tradition. The movement culminated in the publication of tract No. 90, which maintained the compatibility of the thirty-nine articles with the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church. This was condemned by the hebdomadal board of Oxford university in 1841, and its author, Dr. Newman, in 1843 resigned his vicarage of St. Mary's, Oxford, and in 1845 entered the Roman Catholic church. In 1843 Dr. Pusey was suspended from the office of university preacher on account of a sermon on the eucharist. The tractarian movement has resulted in the development of high church and ritualistic views, the restoration and building of numerous churches, and the secession of many members of the church of England, including some clergymen of distinction, to the Roman Catholic church. See Perceval, “Collection of Papers” (1842); W. Palmer, "Narrative of Events” (1843); and F. Oakeley, “Historical Notes on the Tractarian Movement” (1865).