Human Authored Certification by the Authors Guild. The first English Ordinal of 1550 continued the traditional structuring of the Church of England's ministry following Henry VIII's death. However, although the three historic ministries of bishop, priest, and deacon survived the Edwardine reforms, the theological reasoning for retaining them varied. The sacerdotal role of the priesthood and the apostolic succession of bishops lay at the heart of the debate. The writings of Thomas Cranmer and Richard Hooker played a crucial role in shaping a more coherent Anglican doctrine of ordination. In the middle of the following century, when Anglican divines such as Jeremy Taylor made their response to opponents of the episcopate, it was often underpinned by the doctrine contained in the Ordinal's Preface. "I sum up with the attestation of the Church of England in the book of Ordination", wrote Taylor. "From the Apostles' time, these orders of ministers have been in Christ's Church: Bishops, Priests and Deacons." The Restoration reinstituted the episcopate and the traditional threefold ministry, marking the culmination of a long and tumultuous period of religious controversy and conflict in England. Authors Guild Human Authored Certification 4949633 Paperback. First Edition. Volume 1 in The Polity of the Church of England Series.