5.2 what was the impact of the toleration act of 1689 and the end of anglican supremacy? Flashcards
5 themes as to what was the impact of the toleration act of 1689 and the end of anglican supremacy?
toleration act 1689 convocation catholics non-trinitarians test acts
what did william want removed that would be very unpopular (religious)
test act - taking anglican sacrement to hold public office
what was the compromise in not removing the test act
toleration act
promise to refer tory and anglican demands for uniformity to convocation later in the year
what happend under the toleration act
dissenters exempt from punishment if they took an oath of allegiance to the crown and accepted 1678 test act (swearing loyalty to anglican church)
dissenters not expected to attend anglican church
meetings allowed but doors remained unlocked
some special dispensations for dissenting groups (quakers only had to declare rather than swear they denied popes authority)
result of toleration act (statistics)
1714 - 400,000 dissenters in england
problem with the toleration act
used to humiliate the anglican clergy and tories
whig majority insisted they had to swear oath of allegiance to william and mary
had already signed an oath of allegiance to james and royal authority
saw demands as troubling
+400 parish priests refused and were dprieved of their livings
gave whigs perfect excuse to attack tories and high church clergy (accused them of being more loyal to james than william)
removed clergy replaced by moderates
were catholics allowed under the toleration act?
no still excluded catholics, non-tinitarians an jews
test act still in place
disseters still had to pay tithes to church they did not attend
catholics had little to fear from william thought as he joined an aliiance with france 1686 (league of Augsburg)
despite legal situation, catholics seemed to enjoy universal toleration
was the toleration act the end of anglican supremacy?
yes arguments
served to undermine the established church
hill - role of religion in local government in the legal system was reduced
CofE could not enforce complete uniformity
dissenters totaled 8% of population
catholics enjoyed reasonable freedom
william used his influence to curb interference in catholics lives
power of church courts severely restricted
was the toleration act the end of anglican supremacy?
no arguments
anglican church still had an importnat role
statutes enforcing uniformity (test act, act of uniformity) had not been repealed
allegiance to crown and anglican church required for public employment
no great theological debate or shift in views
further toleration acts passed in ireland and scotland still did not give dissenters opportunity to participate in goernment
