Church of England Restoration System

Timeline

1. 1651–1659England · EnglandDuring the Commonwealth, the episcopal hierarchy was abolished, Anglican churches were converted into Puritan worship venues, use of the Book of Common Prayer was banned, and large numbers of Anglican clergy were driven from their parishes. Some bishops and believers secretly maintained liturgical practices under political protection, awaiting a change in circumstances.
2. 1660London · EnglandAfter the Restoration, Charles II quickly restored the episcopacy, appointing the Archbishop of Canterbury and diocesan bishops, reopening church services, and reinstating the liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer. Expelled clergy returned to their parishes, the Anglican system rapidly revived, and religious order was rebuilt.
3. 1662London, Westminster · LondonThe 1662 Act of Uniformity required all clergy to swear full acceptance of the Book of Common Prayer; about two thousand Puritan clergy were expelled from their livings for refusing to take the oath, an event known as the Great Ejection. This established the legal exclusion of nonconformists from the established church and profoundly shaped England's religious landscape for two centuries.