The book's purpose is to present the first extensive historical treatment of deacons in the Church of England, in an effort to explain why lifelong or 'distinctive' deacons have so far failed to become a major part of life in the Church of England, as they are in other parts of the Anglican Communion. It aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the diaconate, not through theological arguments but by presenting the evidence of Anglican tradition on the diaconate since the publication of the Ordinal in 1550. The book challenges the belief that the diaconate was usually a brief and nominal per