Themes, Sources, and Development of St. John Henry Newman’s Ecclesiology in His Letters and Diaries During the Early Anglican Period (1816–1830)

John Henry Newman (1801–1890), a prominent Anglican and later Catholic theologian, a saint and Doctor of the Church, underwent a profound change of religious beliefs throughout his life. After converting to Anglican Calvinism at the age of fifteen, Newman’s religious thinking gradually moved towards High Church Anglicanism before he was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 1845. This study focuses on the formative period of his ecclesiological development during his early Anglican years (1816–1830), as expressed in his letters and diaries. By examining these sources, we aim to present a synthesis of the major themes, theological influences, and the development of ecclesiological thought as it emerged within Newman’s early Anglican context.