Anticlericalism in Britain, C. 1500-1914Nigel Aston, Matthew Cragoe Anticlericalism has been one of the most important yet overlooked trends in British history. On the European continent opposition to ministers of the Church has been one of the hallmarks of the last several hundred years, but in Britain, where anticlericalism has been an equally important current, its significance has failed to be recognized. This new book sets out to rectify this and to establish the true role of anticlericalism in the history of Britain. Beginning with the watershed of the Reformation, Anticlericalism examines the subject by means of a series of discrete but chronologically continuous essays by some of the leading academics in the field. It examines in detail the better known periods of anticlericalisim - the early years of the Reformation, the ascendancy of Archbishop Laud in the seventeenth century and the rural anticlericalism of the early nineteenth century. But it also looks at those periods when anticlericalism has not traditionally been seen as an important trend, such as the eighteenth century and the period before the First World War. Anticlericalism in many different forms is here, from pubic hostility towards clergy on religious grounds, to their unpopularity for decidely secular reasons, and from state-sponsored anticlericalism to anticlericalism within the church itself. And we see these attitudes expressed in many different forms - in words, ritual and imagery. With examples drawn mainly from the established Anglican tradition, but also taking into account the Roman Catholic and non-conformist churches, Anticlericalism is an indispensable book for anyone studying the finer points of British history over the last five hundred years. Not only tracing the history of this important theme, but also giving important insights into the origins of secularism and the forging of the modern state, this ground-breaking volume opens up new vistas. -- from back cover. |
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Anglican Anglican clergy anti-Catholicism anticlericalism argued attack authority Benjamin Hoadly bishops Bradbury Bradbury's Britain Cambridge Carmarthen Journal Catholic Christ Christian Church of England church rates Churchmen civil claimed clergy clergymen clerical magistrates common congregation Convocation Cragoe critics culture curate defend diocese Dissenting anticlericalism divine doctrine early ecclesiastical Edinburgh eighteenth century English anticlericalism English Dissenters English Reformation Essex established Church Evans example George Haigh Henry Sacheverell High Church History Hoadly hostility Ibid incumbent J.M. Barrie James John Johnson Kailyard laity latitudinarian Littleport London ministry moral nineteenth century Nonconformist Nonconformist ministers Nonconformity orthodox Oxford Oxfordshire parish parishioners Parliament parson pastoral period political popular preachers preaching Presbyterian presented Priestcraft priesthood priests Protestant pulpit radical religion religious republicanism Revd Revolution Richard rioters riots role rural Sacheverell Samuel Scotland Scottish sermon social Society spiritual status Thomas Hollis tithe Toland Tory University Vicar Victorian Wales Welsh Whig William writing WSRO