Oxford's Protestant Spy

Charles Golightly (1807-1885) was a notorious Protestant polemicist. His life was dedicated to resisting the spread of ritualism and liberalism within the Church of England and the University of England.For half of a century he led many memorable campaigns, such as building a martyrs' memorial and attempting to close a theological college. John Henry Newman, Samuel Wilberforce, and Benjamin Jowett were amongst his adversaries. This is the first study of Golightly's controversial career.""In this clearly written and impressively documented account Dr. Atherstone shows how Golightly, one of the most enigmatic figures in nineteenth-century Anglican history, became embroiled in one controversy after another as he tried to defend the Protestant heritage of the Church of England against the twin threats of liberalism and ritualism.""--Mark D. Chapman, Ripon College""C. P. Golightly was one of the most controversial figures in nineteenth-century church history but hitherto has appeared mainly as an extra in other people's stories. In this book Andrew Atherstone has produced the first serious study of Golightly as a character in his own right. Moreover, in a work that combines careful scholarship with an accessible style, Atherstone shows how the biography of one individual can be used to illuminate key themes in the history of the Church of England, especially the nature of party divisions in the church and the roots of religious controversy.""--Mark Smith, University of Oxford""In this thoroughly researched and compelling study, Andrew Atherstone's achievement is to shed welcome light on the shadowy figure of C. P. Golightly, the bete noir of the Tractarians. While Golightly's reputation as a 'clerical gadfly' and 'witch hunter' may not be entirely dispelled, Atherstone's balanced study gives much needed serious consideration to Golightly's wider career as a Protestant churchman. In particular, he gives a subtle and nuanced reading of Golightly's apparent partisanship, concluding that for all his anti-Tractarian polemic and scare-mongering he had no intention of being identified with any species of 'low churchmanship.'""--Peter Nockles, University of ManchesterAndrew Atherstone is Research Fellow of the Latimer Trust, with a particular interest in Anglican Evangelical history and identity. He is also an Anglican minister and has worked for churches in Islington, Reading, and Oxfordshire.