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The Oxford Movement emphasized the rituals and traditions of the Church of England

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The Oxford Movement sought to revive the liturgical and ritual aspects of the Anglican Communion, aligning closely with Catholic traditions. The Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, a compromise between Catholic and Calvinist theology, played a key role in defining Anglican worship post-Elizabeth I's Settlement. Anglican liturgy today continues to reflect this blend of tradition and reformed doctrine.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Oxford Movement and the Church of England

The Oxford Movement was a 19th-century initiative within the Anglican Communion that sought to revive the rich liturgical and ritual aspects of the church, emphasizing the continuity with the Catholic tradition. The impetus for the movement came out of a perceived need to counteract the growing influence of liberal and evangelical elements within the Church of England that downplayed tradition. The settlers from this movement were also known as Tractarians, after their publication of the Tracts for the Times which argued for the reinstatement of older Christian traditions of faith and the incorporation of the aesthetics of the Catholic Church into Anglicanism.

The theological compromise during Elizabeth I's reign, reflected in the Book of Common Prayer, served as a foundational text for Anglican worship. It represented a middle way, or via media, between Catholic practices and Protestant doctrine, incorporating both elements into the Anglican liturgy. The Settlement that Elizabeth agreed to under Parliamentary pressure and the Act of Uniformity defined this new Church of England, addressing theological concerns such as the nature of the Eucharist, and clerical matters like the marriage of priests.

Whilst the Church under Henry VIII maintained a largely Catholic doctrine, the Protestant influences during Edward VI's regency pushed for further reform which included changes to prayer and Eucharistic service formalized by the Book of Common Prayer. The Calvinist influence on Anglican theology also modified views on free will and predestination, avoided assertions about transubstantiation, and distinguished the traditionally Catholic sacraments.

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