III explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Critique of Victorian Hypocrisy

  The chapter highlights the careful maneuvering of figures like Manning, who publicly befriends low churchmen while secretly engaging in Catholic practices, and the Church of England's selective embrace of ritualism without doctrinal change.

• Religion and Authority

  Newman's struggle with the authority of the Church of England versus Rome, and the role of the Bishop of Rome in defining orthodoxy, are central to the narrative.

• The Nature of Biography and History

  The chapter discusses the hagiographic biographies of saints produced by the Oxford Movement, including Froude's skeptical treatment of St. Neot, reflecting on the tension between historical truth and edifying fiction.

Characters to notice

• Cardinal Manning

  Manning, a young rector, is drawn to the Oxford Movement, corresponds with Newman, translates works for Pusey, and engages in secret confessional work while carefully managing his public relationships.

• John Henry Newman

  Newman leads the Oxford Movement, writes Tract No. 90, struggles with doubts about Anglican orders, and ultimately converts to Roman Catholicism after years of agony.

• Dr. Pusey

  Pusey is a key figure in the Oxford Movement, for whom Manning translates the works of Optatus.

• Cardinal Wiseman

  Wiseman eagerly awaits Newman's conversion, sending Father Smith to Littlemore to gauge Newman's intentions.

• Charles Kingsley

  Kingsley is mentioned in the context of his later controversy with Newman over charges of untruthfulness, which led to Newman's Apologia.

• Archdeacon Hare

  Hare is a low churchman with whom Manning cultivates a warm friendship, corresponding on theological matters.

• Hurrell Froude

  Froude is referenced as the elder brother of James Anthony Froude, a disciple at Littlemore.

• James Anthony Froude

  Froude, a younger brother of Hurrell, is a disciple at Littlemore tasked with writing the biography of St. Neot, which he completes with a cautious concluding sentence.

Key passages

• “The cleric was not as his lay brethren; he was a creature apart, chosen by Divine will and sanctified by Divine mysteries.”

  The clergy were fundamentally different from ordinary people, set apart by God's choice and made holy through divine rituals.

  This reflects Manning's attraction to the Oxford Movement's high view of priesthood.

• “It was a relief to find, when one had supposed that one was nothing but a clergyman, that one might, after all, be something else—one might be a priest.”

  Manning found comfort in realizing that being a clergyman meant more than a job; it meant being a priest with special spiritual status.

  Highlights the psychological appeal of Tractarian theology to Manning.

• “The Oxford Movement was now ended. The University breathed such a sigh of relief as usually follows the difficult expulsion of a hard piece of matter from a living organism, and actually began to attend to education.”

  With Newman's conversion, the Oxford Movement was over, and Oxford University felt relieved, as if it had expelled a troublesome object, and could finally focus on teaching.

  A sardonic summary of the university's reaction to the Movement's end.

• “Steady-going churchmen were appalled and outraged when they saw Newman, in Tract No. 90, performing this operation. But, after all, he was only taking the Church of England at its word.”

  Conservative Anglicans were shocked by Newman's reinterpretation of the Articles, but he was merely holding the church to its own ambiguous language.

  Explains the controversy over Tract No. 90 and Newman's method.