The Via Media
The Via Media
John Bowden warned John Henry Newman that “one day” he and theTractswould be “charged with rank Popery”, and suggested that aTractshould be written to refute the accusation. Newman took Bowden's “hint” and wrote twoTractson theVia Media. A declaration that the Church of England has taken theVia Mediathat lies between the (so called) Reformers and the Romanists, Popery, and Protestantism. The theory of theVia Mediaseemed very persuasive and plausible but it needed developing to become substantive. TheVia Mediaas a “theory” raised serious objections. However, this does not mean that it is unreal. The reality of a doctrine needed to be tried and tested. It is further argued that Protestantism and Popery are real religions but theVia Media, though viewed as an integral system, never existed except on paper.
Keywords: John Bowden, Tracts, Popery, Protestantism, Church of England, Reformers, Romanists, Via Media, religion
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