Religious Divisions and Conflict Pt.2

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  • Religious Divisions and Conflicts Pt.2
    • Protestant Dissent and the defeat of Millenarianism
      • Census in 1676 indicated there were 100,000 dissenters out of the adult population of 2.5million.
        • Been estimated the real number was between 2 and 300,000.
      • Much Anglican reaction to dissent was an overreaction to the knowledge that dissent was widespread and would be impossible to wipe out.
    • Causes of Religious Persecution.
      • Impact of Interregnum and restoration had generally made dissenters less militant, because they turned from focusing on outward political or religious changes to practising their faith privately.
      • For many protestant dissenters the restoration of the monarch was interpreted as God's judgement on their cause for failing to establish Godly rule in England after Charles I's execution.
      • Charles wanted more religious freedom so did not renew the conventicle act when it expired in 1648.
        • Meant that dissenters could meet freely.
      • In 1669 as a reaction to the lapse of conventicle act, commons refused to give Charles £300,000 subsidy.
        • Charles needed this money, so in 1670 he allowed a more rigid conventicle act.
      • Charles needed this money, so in 1670 he allowed a more rigid conventicle act.
    • Persecution of DIssenters
      • Charles was more inclined to persecute the protestant dissenters than tolerate them.
        • Harsh to Quakers and baptists.
          • 1662 the Quaker Act had outlined a series of punishments for Quakers, ranging from fines to transportation.
          • At least 450 Quakers died in prison under Charles' regime and at least 15,000 suffered some form of punishment.
            • The height of persecution came in the early 1670's and early 1680's when several thousand dissenters died as a result of their persecution.
      • Consequences of this
        • Protestant dissenters became more passive.
        • Needed level of spiritual commitment few could manage.
        • Emphasis on the bible excluded the illiterate from engagemebt.
        • Sermons were long and too much effort.
    • Defeat of Millenarianism
      • Rooted in series of executions and ongoing persecution.
      • Millenarians had negative response to the restoration.
        • So would have been removed as removal of opposition was key in the restoration.
      • Thomas Harrison was Millenary and first regicide to be brought to trial in 1660.
        • Found guilty: traditional death of hanging, drawing and quartering.
  • March 1672 Charles issued the declaration of Indulgence in England. In it Charles stated his suspending power in relation to all the penal laws against Catholics and dissenters.

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