BANGORIAN CONTROVERSY, a theological dispute which originated in 1716 with the posthumous publication of George Hickes's (bishop of Thetford) Constitution of the Christian Church, and the Nature and Consequences of Schism, in which he excommunicated all but the non-juring churchmen. Benjamin Hoadly (q.v.), the newly-appointed bishop of Bangor, scented the opportunity and wrote a speedy and able reply, Preservative Against the Principles and Practices of Non-Jurors, in which his own Erastian position was defended. This was followed by his famous sermon, preached before George I. on March 31, 1717, on The Nature of the Kingdom or Church of Christ, in which he identified the Church with the Kingdom of Heaven—it was there fore "not of this world," and Christ had not delegated His author ity to any representatives. Both book and sermon were reported on by a committee appointed by the Lower House of Convocation in May, and steps would have been taken by the archbishop and bishops had not the government stepped in and prorogued Convo cation till November. Hoadly was shrewd enough not to answer the most brilliant, though comparatively unknown, of his antagon ists, William Law. The most important result of the controversy was the silencing of Convocation, for that body, though it had just "seemed to be settling down to its proper work in dealing with the real exigencies of the Church" when the Hoadly dispute arose, did not meet again for the despatch of business for nearly a cen tury and a half. (See CONVOCATION.)