Bangorian Controversy
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary [1]
a controversy that arose with Dr. Hoadly, bishop of Bangor. That prelate, in a sermon preached before George I, asserted that Christ was supreme in his own kingdom; that he had not delegated his power, like temporal lawgivers during their absence, to any persons as his vicegerents or deputies; and that the church of England, as all other national churches, was merely a civil or human institution, established for the purpose of diffusing and perpetuating the knowledge and belief of Christianity. On the meeting of the convocation, a committee was appointed to examine this publication. A heavy censure was passed against it, as tending to subvert all government and discipline in the church of Christ, to reduce his kingdom to a state of anarchy and confusion, and to impugn and impeach the royal supremacy in matters ecclesiastical, and the authority of the legislature to enforce obedience in matters of religion, by severe sanction. To these proceedings a sudden stop was put by proroguing the convocation; but the controversy which had been commenced was continued for several years.
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [2]
So called from Bangor, or the bishop thereof. Bishop Hoadley, the bishop of that diocese, preaching before George I. asserted the supreme authority of Christ, as king in his own kingdom; and that he had not delegated his power, like temporal lawgivers, during their absence from their kingdom, to any persons, as his vicegerents or deputies. This important sermon may be seen reprinted in the Liverpool Theological Repository, vol. 5. p. 301. In 1717, he also published his Preservative, in which he advanced some position contrary to temporal and spiritual tyranny, and in behalf of the civil an religious liberties of mankind: upon which he was violently opposed, accused, and persecuted, by the advocates for church power: but he was defended and supported by the civil powers, and his abilities and meekness gained him the audits of many.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [3]
a title derived from the bishop of Bangor (Hoadley), who, in the reign of George I, wrote "A Preservative against the Principles and Practices of Non-Jurors;" and afterward preached and published a sermon from the passage, "My kingdom is not of this world" ( John 18:36), in which he maintained the supreme authority of Christ as king in his own kingdom; and that he had not delegated his power, like temporal lawgivers during their absence from their kingdom, to any persons as his vicegerents and deputies. The publication of this sermon by order of the king led to the controversy above named, in which Dr. Snape and Dr. Sherlock, the king's chaplains, took a prominent part as the opponents of Hoadley, maintaining that there were certain powers distinctly vested in the church by Christ, its king, of which the ministers of the church were the constitutionally- appointed executive. This controversy lasted many years, and led to the discontinuance of the Convocation. The pamphlets on the subject are very numerous; one of the most important is, William Law, Three Letters to Bishop Hoadley, to be found in Law's Scholar Armed, 1:279, and also in Law's Complete Works (Lond. 1762), vol. 1. (See Church Of England); (See Hoadley).
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [4]
A controversy in the Church of England provoked by a sermon which Hoadley, bishop of Bangor, preached before George I. in 1717, which offended the sticklers for ecclesiastical authority.
