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| Welcome to my web site which is mainly about the historic struggles between the medieval Catholic Church of Rome and the resurging evangelism of Protestant creeds that resulted in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland, and the Episcopal Church of England. A new index tab links to pages about the Reformation in Europe.
The Reformation was much more than the popular view of John Knox breathing fire and brimstone in Scotland, and Henry VIII solving his marital problems in England; or indeed, the highly selective re-writes of history and dramatised reconstructions – the so called docu-dramas and soap opera derivations, that litter the television schedules. Importantly, events that contributed to change took place over a much longer time span and involved sweeping changes in the economy and social order that had far reaching consequences. Among these were the discrimination and persecution of non conforming Presbyterians (the Covenanters) and the migration of tens of thousands of Scots to Ulster – the Ulster Scots (aka the Scotch-Irish). In England there was the uncertainty of the succession to Henry VIII; the bloody rule of Mary Tudor; and the demands of the Puritans returning from exile, before the settlement of an official Protestant Church under Elizabeth I. This was followed by further bloody discrimination by the Stuart kings against all forms of dissenters from the `approved` religion (of their choice), that contributed to Cromwell`s intervention and civil wars within and between the three kingdoms. The Protestant religion in the realm of Great Britain was not settled until “The Glorious Revolution” and the accession of William and Mary in 1690. Even then discrimination continued throughout the realm. The Reformation in Europe was not just Martin Luther nailing his Theses to the Church door in Wittenberg, but the result of a long delayed and organised opposition to the orthodoxy of Rome. The Renaissance contributed greatly to the struggle to restore beliefs that were consonant with the Gospel, with evangelising preachers such as the Waldensians and the Lollards preparing the ground for the harvest of Protestantism. Generally I have sought out details from the less accessible sources – old publications, books, and manuscripts etc. The site focuses on the history and does not attempt , save by some illustrative quotations, to join in the theological debate, nor the alleged rights and wrongs of any particular creed. There is an extensive bibliography that may provide further reading for those desiring more theological explanation. New pages are added from time to time, so bookmark and make a return visit. As the late Dave Allen, Irish comedian and raconteur, used to say “May your God go with you” Enjoy. Last updated 03/12/2016 CB 🙂 |
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