Word & Table The Book of Homilies
Jan 15, 2026
Fr. Stephen Gauthier, Canon Theologian of the Diocese of the Upper Midwest, dives into the often-overlooked Book of Homilies. He discusses its historical significance before the Reformation, the purpose behind Edward VI's homilies, and the enforcement of sermon readings in the Prayer Book. Gauthier also highlights key themes from early homilies on faith and moral conduct, the decline of mandatory readings, and how modern groups are attempting to revive these teachings today, making for a fascinating exploration of Anglican theology.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Preaching Shift After The Reformation
- Before the Reformation, Sunday sermons were rare because clergy focused on saying the Mass in Latin.
- The Book of Homilies aimed to introduce regular, English preaching to parish life.
Clergy Untrained For Sermons
- Many parish priests had never been trained to preach and typically read written sermons aloud.
- The homilies solved both inexperience and the common practice of reading sermons.
Homilies As Quality Control
- The Book of Homilies provided model sermons so untrained priests could ensure regular, doctrinal preaching.
- The 1549/1552 prayer book rubrics required either a sermon or reading a homily each Sunday.
