Newman’s Theology of the Laity: A Doctrine in Development

Although many scholars base their reflections about Newman’s theology of the laity on his Roman Catholic writings, his thoughts on this topic during his Anglican years seem equally important for the development of his views on the role of the laity in the Church. This article, which is an exploratory essay written as a prelude to a more extensive study, examines four principles of Newman’s Anglican thought on the laity: Taxonomy of the Laity [1801–1824], “Guardians of Tradition”[1822–1833], the “Law of the Mind”[1828–1833], and the Principle of Development [1843–1845].