This volume serves as the definitive biographical and administrative record for the clergy of the Church of England during the 1980-1982 period. The directory functions as a comprehensive database, compiled by the editorial staff at Oxford University Press, to provide verified professional histories, ordinations, and appointments for thousands of ordained ministers. It acts as a primary source for ecclesiastical historians and researchers tracking the institutional structure of the Anglican Church.

Experts and historians recognize this directory as a standard reference tool for verifying the professional status of Anglican clergy during the late twentieth century. Readers frequently note the high density of factual data and the specialized nature of the entries, which are designed for administrative and genealogical research.