1.1 Aim.

My aim is to write a brief introduction about Reader ministry for the men and women who make up the readers of the Church of England. and the many other people who support and encourage this lay ministry. I hope that the story that unfolds will be adequate for most of my readers and that those who wish to dig deeper into the theological and ecclesiological issues surrounding the ministry will find sufficient references to the other works that are available.

1.2 Evolution.

It is clear that a number of distinct types of readers have evolved from the lectors of the biblical and early church eras where the original function of the reader was to act as a lector who read or recited various texts including parts of the scriptures.