184-523: Protestantism is a Christian minority on the island of Ireland . In the 2011 census of Northern Ireland , 48% (883,768) described themselves as Protestant, which was a decline of approximately 5% from the 2001 census. In the 2011 census of the Republic of Ireland , 4.27% of the population described themselves as Protestant. In the Republic, Protestantism was the second largest religious grouping until
368-631: A Jewish Christian sect with Hellenistic influence of Second Temple Judaism . An early Jewish Christian community was founded in Jerusalem under the leadership of the Pillars of the Church , namely James the Just , the brother of Jesus, Peter , and John. Jewish Christianity soon attracted Gentile God-fearers, posing a problem for its Jewish religious outlook , which insisted on close observance of
552-487: A monastic to a diocesan and parish -based mode of organisation and governance . Many Irish present-day dioceses trace their boundaries to decisions made at the synod. The work of organizing the Church was completed by the Synod of Kells which took place in 1152, under the presidency of Giovanni Cardinal Paparoni . Diocesan reform continued and the number of archbishoprics was increased from two to four. The synod granted
736-542: A few scriptures overlapping with the developing orthodox canon, most Gnostic texts and Gnostic gospels were eventually considered heretical and suppressed by mainstream Christians. A gradual splitting off of Gentile Christianity left Jewish Christians continuing to follow the Law of Moses , including practices such as circumcision. By the fifth century, they and the Jewish–Christian gospels would be largely suppressed by
920-857: A further sixteen Old English seats were removed. During 1640 and 1641, the interests of the Old English and New English combined to seek Wentworth's removal. With the drastic decrease in Catholic landowners after the Cromwellian land settlement in the 1640s, by the time of the Restoration parliament in 1661, only one Catholic MP was returned to the Irish Parliament. However, his election was overturned. The Protestant interest in Ireland would be no less compliant to English authority than
1104-677: A halt and ultimately failed. Some reasons for this failure include: a dedicated and vigorous campaign by Continentally -trained Catholic priests; failure to make use of the Irish language , the native tongue of around 90% of the population; and the alienation of the Old English in political developments and the view amongst the Gaelic Irish that this was another attempt by the English at conquest and forced Anglicisation . The dissolution of
1288-463: A majority Catholic country and therefore chose to emigrate to the United Kingdom. In 1861 only the west coast and Kilkenny were less than 6% Protestant. Dublin and two of the 'border counties' were over 20% Protestant. In 1991, however, all but four counties were less than 6% Protestant; the rest were less than 1%. There were no counties in the Republic of Ireland which had experienced a rise in
1472-574: A papal fief and granted Henry II of England the Lordship of Ireland in return for paying tithes ; his right to do so has been disputed ever since. In 1534, the English Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy , which broke communion with the papacy and recognised Henry VIII as head of the Church of England; two years later, the Irish Parliament followed suit by acknowledging him as head of
1656-509: A secular one that was based on that of Saint Patrick . The introduction of the Reformation to Ireland is regarded as the end of the medieval period in Ireland . During the reign of Henry VIII's son, Edward VI , attempts were made to introduce Protestant liturgy and bishops to Ireland. However, this met with hostility within the Church and was opposed even by those who had previously conformed. A return to Catholic supremacy ensued during
1840-599: A series of reforms by the 1830–1834 Whig government that included the Reform Act 1832 , it caused deep political splits. The implications of government legislating church governance was a contributory factor in the Oxford Movement and had wide repercussions for the Anglican Communion. Another source of resentment was the funding of the Church by tithes imposed on all Irish subjects, even though
2024-492: A six-member delegation which included two bishops; Ferran Glenfield of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh and Harold Miller of Down and Dromore . Their participation was criticised by some members of the Church of Ireland. The Church of Ireland is not a member of GAFCON and the church communicated that attendance by clergy was unofficial in "a personal capacity" and the General Synod has voted against GAFCON's statement on
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#17327806029282208-523: A small scale by both Jewish and Roman authorities , with Roman action starting at the time of the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. Examples of early executions under Jewish authority reported in the New Testament include the deaths of Saint Stephen and James, son of Zebedee . The Decian persecution was the first empire-wide conflict, when the edict of Decius in 250 AD required everyone in
2392-523: A state organisation; its bishops were removed from the House of Lords and its property transferred to the government. Compensation was paid but in the immediate aftermath, parishes faced great difficulty in local financing after the loss of rent-generating lands and buildings. The head of the Church of Ireland is, ex officio , the Archbishop of Armagh . In 1870, immediately prior to its disestablishment,
2576-662: Is a Christian church in Ireland , and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion . It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second-largest Christian church on the island after the Roman Catholic Church . Like other Anglican churches, it has retained elements of pre-Reformation practice, notably its episcopal polity , while rejecting the primacy of the pope . In theological and liturgical matters, it incorporates many principles of
2760-596: Is a movement of reform and revitalisation which has enabled faithful Anglicans to remain within the Communion, especially in North America and Brazil. While being clear that participation in its common life is based upon fidelity to the biblical gospel, not merely upon historic ties, the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration of 2008 says quite unequivocally that 'Our fellowship is not breaking away from
2944-525: Is also used by Presbyterians , Methodists , and Congregationalists . This particular creed was developed between the 2nd and 9th centuries. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator . Each of the doctrines found in this creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period . The creed was apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in
3128-430: Is recorded in the canonical gospels, although infancy gospels were popular in antiquity. In comparison, his adulthood, especially the week before his death, is well documented in the gospels contained within the New Testament , because that part of his life is believed to be most important. The biblical accounts of Jesus's ministry include: his baptism , miracles , preaching, teaching, and deeds. Christians consider
3312-752: Is seated at the right hand of the Father, and will ultimately return to fulfill the rest of the Messianic prophecy , including the resurrection of the dead , the Last Judgment , and the final establishment of the Kingdom of God . According to the canonical gospels of Matthew and Luke , Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary . Little of Jesus's childhood
3496-593: The Archbishop of Canterbury , in his person, is a unique focus of Anglican unity. He calls the once-a-decade Lambeth Conference, chairs the meeting of Primates, and is President of the Anglican Consultative Council. The contemporary Church of Ireland, despite having a number of High Church (often described as Anglo-Catholic ) parishes, is generally on the Low Church end of the spectrum of world Anglicanism . Historically, it had little of
3680-521: The Bible and sacred traditions on which Christianity is based. Concise doctrinal statements or confessions of religious beliefs are known as creeds . They began as baptismal formulae and were later expanded during the Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries to become statements of faith. " Jesus is Lord " is the earliest creed of Christianity and continues to be used, as with
3864-773: The Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century. In the 7th century, Muslims conquered Syria (including Jerusalem ), North Africa, and Spain, converting some of the Christian population to Islam , including some of the Christian populations in pre-Islamic Arabia , and placing the rest under a separate legal status . Part of the Muslims' success was due to the exhaustion of the Byzantine Empire in its decades long conflict with Persia . Beginning in
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#17327806029284048-573: The Celtic , the Baltic and some Slavic peoples . Around 500, Christianity was thoroughly integrated into Byzantine and Kingdom of Italy culture and Benedict of Nursia set out his Monastic Rule , establishing a system of regulations for the foundation and running of monasteries . Monasticism became a powerful force throughout Europe, and gave rise to many early centers of learning, most famously in Ireland , Scotland , and Gaul , contributing to
4232-633: The Church of the East (600,000). Smaller church communities number in the thousands despite efforts toward unity ( ecumenism ). In the West , Christianity remains the dominant religion even with a decline in adherence , with about 70% of that population identifying as Christian. Christianity is growing in Africa and Asia, the world's most populous continents. Christians remain greatly persecuted in many regions of
4416-610: The Dublin City University Institute of Education, overseen by the Church of Ireland Centre, based at the former All Hallows College . The church operates a seminary, the Church of Ireland Theological Institute , in Rathgar , in the south inner suburbs of Dublin. The churches of the Anglican Communion are linked by affection and common loyalty. They are in full communion with the See of Canterbury and thus
4600-520: The Edict of Worms condemned and excommunicated Luther and his followers, resulting in the schism of the Western Christendom into several branches. Other reformers like Zwingli , Oecolampadius , Calvin , Knox , and Arminius further criticized Catholic teaching and worship. These challenges developed into the movement called Protestantism , which repudiated the primacy of the pope ,
4784-621: The English Reformation in the 1530s, the Irish Parliament gained the support of some bishops for royal supremacy. This led to the passing of the Act of Supremacy in 1536, which declared King Henry VIII of England to be the head of the Church of Ireland . In 1539, Henry dissolved the monasteries in Ireland . Only Christ Church in Dublin survived this dissolution by changing its constitution from one of monasticism to
4968-621: The Flag of the Anglican Communion . However, the Union Flag continues to fly on many churches in Northern Ireland . The church has an official website. Its journal is The Church of Ireland Gazette , which is editorially independent, but the governing body of which is appointed by the church. Many parishes and other internal organizations also produce newsletters or other publications, as well as maintaining websites. The centre of
5152-489: The House of Lords at Westminster, joining the two archbishops and twenty-four bishops from the Church of England. The Irish Church was over-staffed, with 22 bishops, including 4 archbishops, for an official membership of 852,000, less than that of the Church of England's Diocese of Durham . The Church Temporalities (Ireland) Act 1833 ( 3 & 4 Will. 4 . c. 37) reduced these to 12, as well as making financial changes. Part of
5336-745: The Inquisition , were established with the aim of suppressing heresy and securing religious and doctrinal unity within Christianity through conversion and prosecution. The 15th-century Renaissance brought about a renewed interest in ancient and classical learning. During the Reformation , Martin Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses 1517 against the sale of indulgences . Printed copies soon spread throughout Europe. In 1521
5520-523: The Irish House of Lords to enforce this. However, in 1725 Parliament passed the first in a series of 'temporary' Indemnity Acts, which allowed office holders to 'postpone' taking the oaths; the bishops were willing to approve these, since they could be repealed at any point. In the 17th century, religious and political beliefs were often assumed to be the same; thus Catholics were considered political subversives, simply because of their religion. During
5704-418: The Irish Parliament primarily targeting Catholics of the aristocracy, landed and learned classes. Some of these laws, however, also targeted Protestant Dissenters. Under one of these laws, Dissenters could only be married in the Church of Ireland otherwise it was not legal, making their children illegitimate in the eyes of the law. Another law passed in 1704 sought to prevent anyone who did not have communion in
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5888-528: The Kingdom of Dublin looked to the English Diocese of Canterbury for guidance, in 1005 AD Brian Ború made a large donation to the Monastery of Armagh and recognised its Archbishop as Primate of all Ireland in an attempt to secure his position as High King of Ireland. Inspired by Máel Máedóc Ua Morgair , reformist head of Bangor Abbey , the 1111 Synod of Ráth Breasail sought to reduce
6072-547: The Lord Deputy of Ireland , established sixteen new corporate towns in Ulster in the 1610s. These towns were little more than villages or planned towns. This resulted in Ulster alone returning 38 MPs to the Irish Parliament with the three other provinces altogether contributing 36, giving the government a majority of 32. This majority was reduced upon appeal by the Old English to six. However, under Lord Deputy Wentworth in 1640,
6256-768: The Magisterial Reformation as corrupted. Their activity brought about the Radical Reformation , which gave birth to various Anabaptist denominations. Partly in response to the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church engaged in a substantial process of reform and renewal, known as the Counter-Reformation or Catholic Reform. The Council of Trent clarified and reasserted Catholic doctrine. During
6440-435: The New Testament . It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with over 2.4 billion followers, comprising around 31.2% of the world population . Its adherents, known as Christians , are estimated to make up a majority of the population in 157 countries and territories . Christianity remains culturally diverse in its Western and Eastern branches , and doctrinally diverse concerning justification and
6624-546: The Non-Juring schism , although for the vast majority, this was a matter of personal conscience, rather than political support for James. The Irish church was less affected by this controversy, although the Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh became a Non-Juror, as did a handful of the clergy, including Jacobite propagandist Charles Leslie . The Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland is traditionally viewed as beginning in 1691 when
6808-482: The Old Testament . The Christian concept of messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept . The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus , sinful humans can be reconciled to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life . While there have been many theological disputes over the nature of Jesus over
6992-753: The Oriental Orthodox , taught Christ "to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one divine and one human, and that both natures, while perfect in themselves, are nevertheless also perfectly united into one person . The Athanasian Creed , received in the Western Church as having the same status as the Nicene and Chalcedonian, says: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding
7176-640: The Plantation of Ulster in the opening decades of the 17th century, the Irish Parliament consisted of Catholic Old English and Gaelic Irish MPs. Whilst these MPs had few ideological objections to making Henry VIII head of the Irish church as well as to the establishment of Anglicanism in Ireland under Elizabeth I, resistance to government policies started to grow. To help tip the balance of power in Parliament in favour of Protestants, Sir Arthur Chichester ,
7360-568: The Primacy of Ireland to the Archdiocese of Armagh . Some modern scholarship argues that early Irish Christianity was functionally separate from Rome but shared much of its liturgy and practice, and that this allowed both the Church of Ireland and Irish Catholicism to claim descent from Saint Patrick . It is also said that the Catholic Church in Ireland was jurisdictionally independent until 1155, when Pope Adrian IV purported to declare it
7544-464: The Reformation , particularly those of the English Reformation , but self-identifies as being both Reformed and Catholic , in that it sees itself as the inheritor of a continuous tradition going back to the founding of Christianity in Ireland . As with other members of the global Anglican communion, individual parishes accommodate differing approaches to the level of ritual and formality, variously referred to as High and Low Church . As of 2013,
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7728-443: The Restoration Movement , such as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada , and the Churches of Christ . The central tenet of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah (Christ). Christians believe that Jesus, as the Messiah, was anointed by God as savior of humanity and hold that Jesus's coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of
7912-407: The Rhineland in the Holy Roman Empire . Eight hundred and twenty-one families consisting of 3,073 people were resettled in Ireland that year. Of 538 families initially taken on by as tenants, 352 are reported to have left their holdings, with many returning to England. By late 1711 only around 1,200 of the Palatines remained in Ireland. The number of families dwindled to 162 by 1720. Areas where
8096-735: The River Shannon . It also greatly increased the number of Protestants in Ireland, and saw them come to dominate both the countryside and urban centres and have near absolute control over politics and trade. By the 1660s, Catholics owned hardly more than one-fifth of land. Protestant immigration to Ireland had started in earnest in the aftermath of the restoration of the monarchy in Ireland in 1660, helped by acts such as that "to Encourage Protestant Strangers to Settle in Ireland", passed in 1662. French Protestants, known as Huguenots , escaping persecution in France formed their own small community in Dublin where they became famous for developing poplin and handsome stone buildings called "Dutch Billy's". Around
8280-479: The Roman Empire by the Edict of Milan (313), later convening the Council of Nicaea (325) where Early Christianity was consolidated into what would become the state religion of the Roman Empire (380). The Church of the East and Oriental Orthodoxy both split over differences in Christology (5th century), while the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church separated in the East–West Schism (1054). Protestantism split into numerous denominations from
8464-468: The Scottish Lowlands . This was followed by the considerably determined private plantation of counties Antrim and Down by James Hamilton and Sir Hugh Montgomery , which saw English and Scottish Protestants settling in their estates. In 1606, the notorious Border reiver clan of the Grahams of Eskdale, Leven and Sark, were invited to settle in County Roscommon . By 1607 a steady supply of Scottish Protestants were migrating to eastern Ulster , settling on
8648-485: The State church of the Roman Empire . As soon as it became connected to the state, Christianity grew wealthy; the Church solicited donations from the rich and could now own land. Constantine was also instrumental in the convocation of the First Council of Nicaea in 325, which sought to address Arianism and formulated the Nicene Creed, which is still used by in Catholicism , Eastern Orthodoxy , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , and many other Protestant churches. Nicaea
8832-401: The Treaty of Limerick ended the 1689–1691 Williamite War . The Church re-established control and the 1697 Banishment Act expelled Catholic bishops and regular clergy from Ireland, leaving only the so-called secular clergy . In 1704, the Test Act was extended to Ireland; this effectively restricted public office to members of the Church of Ireland and officially remained in place until
9016-422: The World Council of Churches . The Apostles' Creed is the most widely accepted statement of the articles of Christian faith. It is used by a number of Christian denominations for both liturgical and catechetical purposes, most visibly by liturgical churches of Western Christian tradition, including the Latin Church of the Catholic Church , Lutheranism , Anglicanism , and Western Rite Orthodoxy . It
9200-486: The dechristianization of France during the French Revolution , the Spanish Civil War , and certain Marxist movements, especially the Russian Revolution and the persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union under state atheism . Especially pressing in Europe was the formation of nation states after the Napoleonic era . In all European countries, different Christian denominations found themselves in competition to greater or lesser extents with each other and with
9384-498: The state religion in Armenia in the early 4th century AD, making Armenia the first officially Christian state. It was not an entirely new religion in Armenia, having penetrated into the country from at least the third century, but it may have been present even earlier. Constantine I was exposed to Christianity in his youth, and throughout his life his support for the religion grew, culminating in baptism on his deathbed. During his reign, state-sanctioned persecution of Christians
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#17327806029289568-474: The 1630s, Protestant settlers from Great Britain were migrating to Ireland by their own initiative, and helped initiate a colonial spread from the ports where they arrived and into the hinterlands of Ulster. It is estimated that in regards to Presbyterianism , that there were less than 10,000 adherents during the early seventeenth century. The Church of Ireland by the 1630s was a broad church that accepted various different Protestant practices and beliefs. As
9752-413: The 1649–1652 Cromwell's re-conquest of Ireland . The church was re-established after the 1660 Restoration of Charles II and in January 1661, meetings by 'Papists, Presbyterians, Independents or separatists' were made illegal. In practice, the penal laws were loosely enforced and after 1666, Protestant Dissenters and Catholics were allowed to resume their seats in the Parliament of Ireland . In 1685,
9936-550: The 1720s, there was some redressing of Dissenter issues with the Indemnity Act and Toleration Act, followed by the Synod of Ulster in 1722 sending King George I an address of the injustices they faced. During the 17th century the Dissenter population was low. However, after the reign of King William III, they formed a substantial portion of the Protestant population in Ireland (especially in Ulster ), and increasingly became more politically active. The main issues Dissenters were concerned with were those that affected them most due to
10120-438: The 1829 Catholic Relief Act . However, the practice of occasional conformity continued, while many Catholic gentry by-passed these restrictions by educating their sons as Protestants, their daughters as Catholics; Edmund Burke , who was raised Church of Ireland but whose parents simultaneously raised his sister Juliana Catholic, is one example. It is estimated fewer than 15 – 20% of the Irish population were nominally members of
10304-427: The 18th century, sectarian divisions were replaced by a growing sense of Irish autonomy; in 1749, Bishop Berkeley issued an address to the Catholic clergy, urging them to work together with the church in the (Irish) national interest. After 1750, the government increasingly viewed Catholic emancipation as a way to reduce the power of Protestant nationalists like the United Irishmen ; this had potential implications for
10488-480: The 2002 census in which they were exceeded by those who chose "No Religion". Some forms of Protestantism existed in Ireland in the early 16th century before the English Reformation , but demographically speaking, these were very insignificant and the real influx of Protestantism began only with the spread of the English Reformation to Ireland. The Church of Ireland was established by King Henry VIII of England, who had himself proclaimed as King of Ireland . During
10672-467: The 20th century, both in Northern Ireland, where around 65% of its members live, and in the Republic of Ireland. The church is still the second-largest in the Republic of Ireland , with 126,414 members in 2016 (minus 2% compared to the 2011 census results) and the third-largest in Northern Ireland , with around 260,000 members. The most recently available figures published by the Church of Ireland, dating to 2013, found that average Sunday attendance across
10856-457: The 4th-century Donation of Constantine , which allegedly gave the Papacy religious control over all Christian territories in the western Roman Empire . Its legality was disputed at the time, since Ireland had never been part of the empire, while the Donation itself was later exposed as a forgery. Since Ireland was now considered a papal fief , its bishops were appointed by Rome but generally adopted English liturgy and saints, such as Edward
11040-415: The 6th century AD. These new universities expanded the curriculum to include academic programs for clerics, lawyers, civil servants, and physicians. The university is generally regarded as an institution that has its origin in the Medieval Christian setting. Accompanying the rise of the "new towns" throughout Europe, mendicant orders were founded, bringing the consecrated religious life out of
11224-501: The 8th century, with the rise of Carolingian leaders, the Papacy sought greater political support in the Frankish Kingdom . The Middle Ages brought about major changes within the church. Pope Gregory the Great dramatically reformed the ecclesiastical structure and administration. In the early 8th century, iconoclasm became a divisive issue, when it was sponsored by the Byzantine emperors. The Second Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (787) finally pronounced in favor of icons. In
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#173278060292811408-429: The Anglican Communion'." Like many other Anglican churches, the Church of Ireland is a member of many ecumenical bodies, including the World Council of Churches , the Conference of European Churches , Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and the Irish Council of Churches . It is also a member of the Porvoo Communion . In 1999, the church voted to prohibit the flying of flags other than St Patrick's flag and
11592-498: The British Government proposed the Irish Church Measure to reduce the 22 archbishops and bishops who oversaw the Anglican minority in Ireland to a total of 12 by amalgamating sees and using the revenues saved for the use of parishes. This sparked the Oxford Movement , which was to have wide repercussions for the Anglican Communion . As the official established church, the Church of Ireland was funded partially by tithes imposed on all Irish landowners and tenant farmers, irrespective of
11776-415: The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I for aid against Turkish expansion. The Crusades ultimately failed to stifle Islamic aggression and even contributed to Christian enmity with the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade . The Christian Church experienced internal conflict between the 7th and 13th centuries that resulted in a schism between the Latin Church of Western Christianity branch,
11960-411: The Catholic James II became king with considerable backing in all three kingdoms; this changed when his policies seemed to go beyond tolerance for Catholicism and into an attack on the established church. His prosecution of the Seven Bishops in England for seditious libel in June 1688 destroyed his support base, while many felt James lost his right to govern by ignoring his coronation Oath to maintain
12144-657: The Catholic Church in the Reformation era (16th century). Following the Age of Discovery (15th–17th century), Christianity expanded throughout the world via missionary work , evangelism , immigration and extensive trade. Christianity played a prominent role in the development of Western civilization , particularly in Europe from late antiquity and the Middle Ages . The six major branches of Christianity are Roman Catholicism (1.3 billion people), Protestantism (625 million-900 million), Eastern Orthodoxy (230 million), Oriental Orthodoxy (60 million), Restorationism (35 million), and
12328-438: The Church of Ireland claimed to be the original and universal church, while the Papacy was an innovation, thus vesting it with the supremacy of Apostolic succession . This argument was supported by Ussher, and Charles' former personal chaplain, John Leslie , a key supporter of Caroline reforms in Scotland, appointed bishop of Derry & Raphoe in 1633. During the 1641–1653 Irish Confederate Wars , nearly two-thirds of Ireland
12512-428: The Church of Ireland drew up its own confession of faith , similar to the English version, but more detailed, less ambiguous and often explicitly Calvinist. When the Thirty-Nine Articles were formally adopted by the Irish church in 1634, Ussher ensured they were in addition to the Irish Articles; however, they were soon superseded by the Thirty Nine Articles, which remain in use to the present day. Under Charles I ,
12696-454: The Church of Ireland from holding public office, however as Catholics had already been excluded from public office this primarily targeted Dissenters. This test would not be removed until the Protestant Dissenter Relief Act was passed in 1780. However, the legal position of Dissenters was still restricted in the Irish Parliament by landlords and bishops. Dissenter marriages would not be legally recognised until an act passed in 1842. Despite being
12880-425: The Church of Ireland has approximately 384,176 total members and 58,000 active baptised members. The Church of Ireland has two cathedrals in Dublin: within the line of the walls of the old city is Christ Church Cathedral , the seat of the Archbishop of Dublin, and just outside the old walls is St Patrick's Cathedral , which the church designated as the National Cathedral for Ireland in 1870. Cathedrals also exist in
13064-465: The Church of Ireland ranked "second in the State in terms of the provision of primary schools with 174 schools under its Patronage." There were "over 500 teachers and over 13,500 pupils in Church of Ireland Primary schools." There were at the time "twenty post-primary schools in the State which are either affiliated with the Church of Ireland at diocesan level or" are self-identified as Church of Ireland. The Church of Ireland sees itself as that 'part of
13248-440: The Church provided for its internal government, led by a General Synod, and with financial and administrative support by a Representative Church Body. Like other Irish churches, the Church of Ireland did not divide when Ireland was partitioned in the 1920s and it continues to be governed on an all-Ireland basis. The polity of the Church of Ireland is episcopal church governance , as in other Anglican churches. The church maintains
13432-523: The Confessor , and Thomas Becket . In 1536, the Irish Parliament followed their English colleagues by accepting Henry VIII of England as head of the church, rather than the Pope. This marks the founding of the reformed Church of Ireland, confirmed when Henry became King of Ireland in 1541. Largely restricted to Dublin , led by Archbishop George Browne , it expanded under Edward VI , until Catholicism
13616-632: The Gaelic and Old English Catholics to the state religion. This plantation would not see the light of day as Wentworth alienated Protestant and Catholic alike in Ireland, and Charles I got into ever more trouble with Parliament . Between 1640 and 1641, Protestants and Catholics alike in the Irish Parliament united in opposition to Wentworth, and pushed for the Graces —first arranged in 1628—to be confirmed as well as filing lists of complaints about his behaviour and practices. This union of cause survived until
13800-482: The Hearts of Oak, it was the paying of cess as well as tithes and small dues to the Church of Ireland. For the Hearts of Steel it was evictions and rents. They also had different tactics, which affected how successful they were. The Hearts of Oak acted during the day and in a highly public manner, which allowed the authorities to clamp down on them easier. The Hearts of Steel, however, took to performing secretive actions in
13984-433: The House of Bishops and the House of Representatives. The House of Bishops includes the 10 diocesan bishops and two archbishops, forming one order. The House of Representatives is made up of two orders, clergy and laity . The order of clergy holds one third of the seats while the laity holds two-thirds of the seats. As of 2017, there are 216 clergy members and 432 lay members in the House of Representatives. The membership of
14168-412: The House of Representatives is made up of delegates from the dioceses, with seats allocated to each diocese's clergy and laity in specific numbers; these delegates are elected every three years. The general synod meets annually, and special meetings can be called by the leading bishop or one third of any of its orders. Changes in policy must be passed by a simple majority of both the House of Bishops and
14352-421: The House of Representatives. Changes to doctrine, for example the decision to ordain women as priests, must be passed by a two-thirds majority of both Houses. The two sit together for general deliberations but separate for some discussions and voting. While the House of Representatives always votes publicly, often by orders, the House of Bishops has tended to vote in private, coming to a decision before matters reach
14536-475: The Houses of the general synod, which when passed become Statutes. The church's governing document, its constitution, is modified, consolidated and published by way of statute also, the most recent edition, the 13th, being published in 2003. The representative body of the Church of Ireland, often called the "Representative Church Body" (RCB), is the corporate trustee of the church, as established by law, and much of
14720-531: The Irish Church which was influenced by the Reformation , and has its origins in the early Celtic Church of St Patrick '. This makes it both catholic , as the inheritor of a continuous tradition of faith and practice, and protestant , since it rejects the authority of Rome and accepts changes in doctrine and liturgy caused by the Reformation. Following the Synod of Ráth Breasail (also known as Rathbreasail) in 1111, Irish Catholicism transitioned from
14904-632: The Irish Parliament's legislative superiority over itself and its intent to set and collect its own taxes. Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, professing that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and is the Son of God , whose coming as the Messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament in Christianity) and chronicled in
15088-679: The Irish church into line with that in England by stamping out puritanism, and the anti-episcopal views of the Scottish ministers operating in Ulster. They also sought to replace the preferred form of worship amongst Protestants in Ireland with the more elaborate and orthodox Anglican style favoured by Charles I. To help achieve this, Lord Wentworth and Archbishop Laud introduced and enforced the English Thirty-Nine Articles along with stricter disciplinary canons in 1634. This
15272-504: The Irish church. Although many bishops and most of the clergy refused to conform, the Church of Ireland was left with diocesan buildings and lands, since under the feudal system bishops held that property as vassals of the Crown. Despite the political and economic advantages of membership in the new church, a large majority of the Irish remained loyal to the Church of Rome , while in Ulster
15456-629: The Jewish commandments. Paul the Apostle solved this by insisting that salvation by faith in Christ , and participation in his death and resurrection by their baptism, sufficed. At first he persecuted the early Christians, but after a conversion experience he preached to the gentiles , and is regarded as having had a formative effect on the emerging Christian identity as separate from Judaism. Eventually, his departure from Jewish customs would result in
15640-474: The Lambeth Conference. GAFCON supporters refuted their critics claims, saying that they endorse Lambeth 1.10 resolution on human sexuality, which is still the official stance of the Church of Ireland, but has been rejected by the liberal provinces of the Anglican Communion . The Rev. Charles Raven stated: "the charge that GAFCON is a breakaway or separatist group is not supported by the evidence. It
15824-599: The Netherlands and Frisia . Ultimately, these differences led to the outbreak of conflicts in which religion played a key factor. The Thirty Years' War , the English Civil War , and the French Wars of Religion are prominent examples. These events intensified the Christian debate on persecution and toleration . In the revival of neoplatonism Renaissance humanists did not reject Christianity; quite
16008-413: The Old English had been. The convention of 1660 , called after the restoration of the monarchy, saw 137 parliamentary members elected, all of whom were Protestant. It called upon King Charles II to summon a Parliament consisting of Protestant peers and commons, as well for the re-establishment of the Church of Ireland. Despite backing the restoration, as well as the system of episcopacy , it also asserted
16192-614: The Old Testament was published in 1685 by Narcissus Marsh , but the revised BCP was not available until 1712. At the beginning of the 17th century, most native Irish were Catholic, with Protestant settlers in Ulster establishing an independent Presbyterian church. Largely confined to an English-speaking minority in The Pale , the most important figure of the Church's development was Dublin-born theologian and historian, James Ussher , Archbishop of Armagh from 1625 to 1656. In 1615,
16376-561: The Palatines settled included counties Cork , Dublin , Limerick , and Wexford . Despite the exodus of Palatines in the years after their initial arrival in Ireland, a second relocation carried out in 1712 saw the establishment of two successful settlements, one being around Rathkeale , County Limerick, the other around Gorey , County Wexford. Limerick Palatines, despite some conversions to Catholicism, largely remained religiously and culturally endogenous . The Palatines responded well to
16560-553: The Penal Laws: religious discrimination; economic development; and the matter of land. Dissenters often were tenants rather than landowners, and faced ever increasing rents as landowners sought to increase their income. Any improvements made to the land by a tenant increased its value giving landlords an excuse to raise the rent. Other landlords simply demanded and raised rents on a whim. Those who could not afford to pay were forcibly evicted without warning. Tenants also had to follow
16744-638: The Persons nor dividing the Substance ". Most Christians ( Catholic , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , and Protestant alike) accept the use of creeds and subscribe to at least one of the creeds mentioned above. Certain Evangelical Protestants , though not all of them, reject creeds as definitive statements of faith, even while agreeing with some or all of the substance of the creeds. Also rejecting creeds are groups with roots in
16928-543: The Plantation of Ulster, they tended to disperse to other parts of the province resulting in those tasked with settling the land having to retain native Irish who remained predominantly Catholic. James VI & I's campaign to pacify the borders resulted in great numbers of Border reiver families arriving in Ulster. The Border reiver families were not known for their religiousness and the Reformation had made little impact on them. Once they had settled in Ulster they realised
17112-634: The Presbyterian church was not yet established in Ireland, Presbyterians were more than happy to join the Church of Ireland, which then exercised a good deal of tolerance and understanding. Across the island, the predominant doctrine within the Church of Ireland was puritanism, which like Presbyterianism, favoured simple and plain forms of worship and clothing. During the reign of Charles I , however, The 1st Viscount Wentworth (created 1st Earl of Strafford in 1640), Lord Deputy of Ireland , and Dr William Laud , Archbishop of Canterbury , sought to bring
17296-589: The Republic of Ireland, and Switzerland, all countries with competing denominations. Competition is found in Germany, the Netherlands, and again Switzerland, all countries with minority Catholic populations, which to a greater or lesser extent identified with the nation. Finally, separation between religion (again, specifically Catholicism) and the state is found to a great degree in France and Italy, countries where
17480-601: The Republic. The previous pattern of decline started to change during the 1990s. By the time of the 2006 census of the Republic of Ireland, a little over 5% of the state was Protestant. The 2011 census of the Republic of Ireland found that the Protestant population in every county had grown. In 2012, the Irish Independent reported that "Irish Anglicanism is undergoing a quite remarkable period of growth" due to immigration and Irish Catholics converting. Prior to
17664-528: The Roman Catholic and Presbyterian churches. Christianity in Ireland is generally dated to the mid to late 5th century AD , when the Romano-British cleric Saint Patrick began his conversion mission, although the exact dates are disputed. Prior to the 12th century, the Irish church was independent of Papal control, and governed by powerful monasteries , rather than bishops . While
17848-611: The Roman Empire (except Jews) to perform a sacrifice to the Roman gods. The Diocletianic Persecution beginning in 303 AD was also particularly severe. Roman persecution ended in 313 AD with the Edict of Milan . While Proto-orthodox Christianity was becoming dominant, heterodox sects also existed at the same time, which held radically different beliefs. Gnostic Christianity developed a duotheistic doctrine based on illusion and enlightenment rather than forgiveness of sin. With only
18032-688: The West , the papacy became a political player, first visible in Pope Leo 's diplomatic dealings with Huns and Vandals . The church also entered into a long period of missionary activity and expansion among the various tribes. While Arianists instituted the death penalty for practicing pagans (see the Massacre of Verden , for example), Catholicism also spread among the Hungarians , the Germanic ,
18216-847: The West during this period was enormous and of long-lasting significance. The later rise of Islam in North Africa reduced the size and numbers of Christian congregations, leaving in large numbers only the Coptic Church in Egypt, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the Horn of Africa and the Nubian Church in the Sudan (Nobatia, Makuria and Alodia). With the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in
18400-422: The advantages of becoming Protestants and conformed to the established church. Between 1615 and 1620, a policy of "discovery and regrant" was used in various parts of Ireland; however, few settlers were attracted to these plantations, resulting basically in new landowners. This policy was used in the counties of Leitrim , Longford , northern Wexford , as well as parts of King's County and Queen's County . By
18584-493: The aristocracy and landed gentry, to convert to Protestantism. In 1703, 14% of land in Ireland was owned by Catholics. However, following the conforming of the majority of these landowners by 1780, Catholics only owned 5% despite making up three-quarters of the population of Ireland. Some of these converts were high profile, such as The 5th Earl of Antrim , whose conversion meant that in the province of Ulster there were no Catholic estates of any note. Others were less so, however made
18768-422: The care and operation of the parish and one or more church buildings. Special provisions apply to the management and operation of five key cathedrals, in Dublin (which contains two Church of Ireland cathedrals), Armagh, Down, and Belfast. The church has disciplinary and appeals tribunals, and diocesan courts, and a court of the general synod. The Church of Ireland experienced a major decline in membership during
18952-408: The church library. While parishes, dioceses, and other parts of the church structure care for their particular properties, this is often subject to RCB rules. The Church of Ireland embraces three orders of ministry: deacons, priests (or presbyters) and bishops. These orders are distinct from positions such as rector , vicar or canon . Each diocese or united diocese is led by its Ordinary, one of
19136-560: The church since the requirement non-church members pay tithes was deeply resented. The movement ended after the 1798 Rebellion and Ireland's incorporation with Britain. Following the legal union of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain by the Act of Union 1800 , the Church of Ireland was also united with the Church of England to form the United Church of England and Ireland . At the same time, one archbishop and three bishops from Ireland (selected by rotation) were given seats in
19320-525: The church was 58,257, with 74 per cent of this attendance in the Province of Armagh . Attendance varied strongly across dioceses; the most-attended diocese was Down and Dromore, with 12,731 in average Sunday attendance, while the least-attended was Meath and Kildare with 1,463. Similarly, in 2016, a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Anglican Studies by Cambridge University Press found that
19504-481: The church was outnumbered by Presbyterians . However, it remained the established church of the whole of Ireland until the First Gladstone ministry 's Irish Church Act 1869 ( 32 & 33 Vict. c. 42) disestablished it, with effect from 1 January 1871. The modern Church of Ireland is the second largest religious organisation in the Republic of Ireland , and the third largest in Northern Ireland , after
19688-451: The church's property is vested in it. The members of the RCB are the bishops plus diocesan delegates and twelve co-opted members, and it meets at least four times a year. The staff of the representative body are analogous to clerical civil servants, and among other duties they oversee property, including church buildings, cemeteries and investments, administer some salaries and pensions, and manage
19872-455: The church, which remained a minority under pressure from both Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists. The 1719 Toleration Act allowed Nonconformists freedom of worship, while the Irish Parliament paid their ministers a small subsidy known as the 'regium donum.' Although willing to permit a degree of flexibility, like their English counterparts, Irish bishops viewed their status as the national church to be non-negotiable and used their seats in
20056-586: The churches of Rome. Its points include: The Nicene Creed was formulated, largely in response to Arianism , at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively, and ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the First Council of Ephesus in 431. The Chalcedonian Definition , or Creed of Chalcedon, developed at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, though rejected by
20240-596: The common denominator, Wentworth (by now Earl of Strafford ), was executed by the English parliamentarians in May 1641. By the 1630s, more than a quarter of land in Ireland was owned by Protestants, by the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , they held roughly three-fifths. Whilst the uprising initially targeted the English settlers in Ulster, the native Irish soon turned upon the Scots. The 1641 rebellion in Ulster
20424-701: The contrary, many of the greatest works of the Renaissance were devoted to it, and the Catholic Church patronized many works of Renaissance art . Much, if not most, of the new art was commissioned by or in dedication to the Church. Some scholars and historians attribute Christianity to having contributed to the rise of the Scientific Revolution . Many well-known historical figures who influenced Western science considered themselves Christian such as Nicolaus Copernicus , Galileo Galilei , Johannes Kepler , Isaac Newton and Robert Boyle . In
20608-508: The decisions, and the two principal churches remain in schism to the present day. However, the Catholic Church has achieved union with various smaller eastern churches . In the thirteenth century, a new emphasis on Jesus' suffering, exemplified by the Franciscans' preaching, had the consequence of turning worshippers' attention towards Jews, on whom Christians had placed the blame for Jesus' death . Christianity's limited tolerance of Jews
20792-491: The depopulation of Protestants. The outbreak of the American War of Independence in 1776 had an important impact on Ireland. Many had relatives living in the colonies and thus a deep interest, with some entertaining notions of what a break from Britain might do for Ireland. British troops based in Ireland were transported to America to participate in the conflict, which raised fears of a possible French invasion, leading to
20976-501: The difference in churchmanship between parishes characteristic of other Anglican provinces, although a number of markedly liberal, High Church or Evangelical parishes have developed in recent decades. It was the second province of the Anglican Communion after the Anglican Church of New Zealand (1857) to adopt, on its 1871 disestablishment, synodical government . It was also one of the first provinces to begin ordaining women to
21160-589: The division caused by the Reformation led to outbreaks of religious violence and the establishment of separate state churches in Europe. Lutheranism spread into the northern, central, and eastern parts of present-day Germany, Livonia , and Scandinavia. Anglicanism was established in England in 1534. Calvinism and its varieties, such as Presbyterianism , were introduced in Scotland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Switzerland, and France. Arminianism gained followers in
21344-508: The doctrines of the established church it became known as "nonconformity", with those not adhering to the Church of Ireland being classified as Dissenters. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 saw great numbers of Huguenots flee from France, with as many as 10,000 migrating to Ireland during the 1690s, including veterans from the Huguenot regiments in the army of William III . In total twenty-one Huguenot communities were established
21528-603: The dominant sects in both Judaism and Christianity. Christianity spread to Aramaic -speaking peoples along the Mediterranean coast and also to the inland parts of the Roman Empire and beyond that into the Parthian Empire and the later Sasanian Empire , including Mesopotamia , which was dominated at different times and to varying extents by these empires. The presence of Christianity in Africa began in
21712-400: The earliest centuries of Christian history, generally, Christians believe that Jesus is God incarnate and " true God and true man " (or both fully divine and fully human). Jesus, having become fully human , suffered the pains and temptations of a mortal man, but did not sin . As fully God, he rose to life again. According to the New Testament , he rose from the dead, ascended to heaven,
21896-533: The early 10th century, Western Christian monasticism was further rejuvenated through the leadership of the great Benedictine monastery of Cluny . In the West, from the 11th century onward, some older cathedral schools became universities (see, for example, University of Oxford , University of Paris and University of Bologna ). Previously, higher education had been the domain of Christian cathedral schools or monastic schools ( Scholae monasticae ), led by monks and nuns . Evidence of such schools dates back to
22080-639: The early Christian tradition, with the Old Testament as the gospels' respected background. Christianity began in the 1st century , after the death of Jesus, as a Judaic sect with Hellenistic influence in the Roman province of Judaea . The disciples of Jesus spread their faith around the Eastern Mediterranean area, despite significant persecution . The inclusion of Gentiles led Christianity to slowly separate from Judaism (2nd century). Emperor Constantine I decriminalized Christianity in
22264-525: The era known as the Great Divergence , when in the West, the Age of Enlightenment and the scientific revolution brought about great societal changes, Christianity was confronted with various forms of skepticism and with certain modern political ideologies , such as versions of socialism and liberalism . Events ranged from mere anti-clericalism to violent outbursts against Christianity, such as
22448-501: The established Church; this practice persisted in both England and Ireland well into the mid-18th century. Lack of Irish Gaelic literature was another restriction; shortly before his death in 1585, Nicholas Walsh began translation of the New Testament . Continued by John Kearny and Nehemiah Donnellan , it was finally printed in 1602 by William Daniel , who also translated the Book of Common Prayer , or BCP, in 1606. An Irish version of
22632-723: The establishment of Christianity as an independent religion. This formative period was followed by the early bishops , whom Christians consider the successors of Christ's apostles . From the year 150, Christian teachers began to produce theological and apologetic works aimed at defending the faith. These authors are known as the Church Fathers , and the study of them is called patristics . Notable early Fathers include Ignatius of Antioch , Polycarp , Justin Martyr , Irenaeus , Tertullian , Clement of Alexandria and Origen . Persecution of Christians occurred intermittently and on
22816-673: The estates of Hamilton, MacDonnell, and Montgomery. Whilst many Presbyterian Lowlanders fled Kintyre in Scotland for MacDonnell's lands, Hebridean Catholics migrated as well, ensuring that the Glens of Antrim would remain Catholic as the rest of the county became predominantly Protestant. That same year, the Flight of the Earls occurred, which saw vast tracts of land in Ulster spanning the counties of Armagh , Cavan , Coleraine , Donegal , Fermanagh , and Tyrone , escheated to James VI & I . This
23000-611: The fact that it counted only a minority of the populace among its adherents; these tithes were a source of much resentment which occasionally boiled over, as in the Tithe War of 1831/36. Eventually, the tithes were ended, replaced with a lower levy called the tithe rent charge. The Irish Church Act 1869 (which took effect in 1871) finally ended the role of the Church of Ireland as state church. This terminated both state support and parliament's role in its governance, but also took into government ownership much church property. Compensation
23184-658: The floor of the synod. This practice has been broken only once when, in 1999, the House of Bishops voted unanimously in public to endorse the efforts of the Archbishop of Armagh, the Diocese of Armagh and the Standing Committee of the General Synod in their attempts to resolve the crisis at the Church of the Ascension at Drumcree near Portadown . The church's internal laws are formulated as bills proposed to
23368-580: The following centuries, competition between Catholicism and Protestantism became deeply entangled with political struggles among European states. Meanwhile, the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 brought about a new wave of missionary activity. Partly from missionary zeal, but under the impetus of colonial expansion by the European powers, Christianity spread to the Americas, Oceania, East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Throughout Europe,
23552-582: The foundation of the Volunteers consisting of Dissenters and Anglicans, with some Catholic support. Whilst the Volunteers were formed as a defensive force, they quickly became involved in politics. The Dublin area saw many churches like the exquisite "Pepper Canister" – properly known as Saint Stephen's – built in the Georgian style during the 19th century. When Ireland was incorporated in 1801 into
23736-508: The history of the Presbyterian church in Ireland. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms , of which the Irish rebellion was part, came to engulf England, Ireland and Scotland in related conflicts. One of the best estimates given for the scale of death during this period gives an estimated 112,000 Protestants, along with around 504,000 Catholics, dying from plague, war or famine, from a pre-war population of around one-and-a-half million. With
23920-674: The landlords' preferred choice in elections, which then were not held by secret ballot. One way to alleviate problems was to gain the favour of the landlord. Eventually groups of tenants, some of which became movements such as the Hearts of Steel , Hearts of Oak and the Whiteboys , started to commit acts of crime against their landlords to raise awareness of their grievances. This included attacking cattle, burning buildings, and threatening letters amongst other acts. The larger groups, whilst sharing some grievances, had different primary focuses. For
24104-730: The last century have been significant, since 1900, Christianity has spread rapidly in the Global South and Third World countries. The late 20th century has shown the shift of Christian adherence to the Third World and the Southern Hemisphere in general, with the West no longer the chief standard bearer of Christianity. Approximately 7 to 10% of Arabs are Christians , most prevalent in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon . While Christians worldwide share basic convictions, there are differences of interpretations and opinions of
24288-401: The majority were not members. This led to anomalies like the incumbent of a living near Bessborough, who in 1833 was receiving £1,000 per year, despite the fact the parish had no Protestants or even a church. The " Tithe War " of 1831–36 led to their replacement by the tithe rent charge but they did not entirely disappear until the Irish Church Act 1869 . The Act ended the Church's status as
24472-530: The middle of the 1st century in Egypt and by the end of the 2nd century in the region around Carthage . Mark the Evangelist is claimed to have started the Church of Alexandria in about 43 AD; various later churches claim this as their own legacy, including the Coptic Orthodox Church . Important Africans who influenced the early development of Christianity include Tertullian , Clement of Alexandria , Origen of Alexandria , Cyprian , Athanasius , and Augustine of Hippo . King Tiridates III made Christianity
24656-440: The middle of the night. Historian Francis Joseph Biggar states that the only options available for disillusioned Dissenters were to move to the towns, become a beggar, or emigrate to America, with emigration the preferred choice. Few Presbyterians seemed to choose returning to their native Scotland. In contrast, the Catholics, who suffered worst of all from the Penal Laws, chose to remain in Ireland, staying as close as possible to
24840-580: The monasteries saw the property of many parishes granted to lay people whose main concern was economic rather than spiritual; this, along with the wars that raged in Ireland throughout the 16th and 17th centuries left many parish churches—now the property of the Established Church (especially rural ones), in a ruinous state. During the reigns of both Elizabeth I and James VI & I , some English Puritans and many Scottish Presbyterians settled in Ireland. Despite both groups then being persecuted for their beliefs at home, in Ireland they were openly welcomed by
25024-519: The monastery and into the new urban setting. The two principal mendicant movements were the Franciscans and the Dominicans , founded by Francis of Assisi and Dominic , respectively. Both orders made significant contributions to the development of the great universities of Europe. Another new order was the Cistercians , whose large, isolated monasteries spearheaded the settlement of former wilderness areas. In this period, church building and ecclesiastical architecture reached new heights, culminating in
25208-418: The most notable of which was established at Portarlington , Queen's County . Some Huguenot congregations conformed to the Church of Ireland, though others maintained their own instilling some hostility from the established church. Scottish Presbyterian immigration to Ulster also reached its peak during this period and that of Queen Anne (1702–1707). In 1709 German Palatines fled persecution to England from
25392-399: The most of the opportunities that opened up for them, one example being William Conolly . William Conolly was a Gaelic Catholic from Ballyshannon , County Donegal ; however, in the years following his conversion to Protestantism, he would become the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons as well as Ireland's richest man despite being the son of an innkeeper. The Penal Laws ensured that for
25576-488: The nature of salvation , ecclesiology , ordination , and Christology . The creeds of various Christian denominations generally hold in common Jesus as the Son of God —the Logos incarnated —who ministered , suffered , and died on a cross , but rose from the dead for the salvation of humankind; and referred to as the gospel , meaning the "good news". The four canonical gospels of Matthew , Mark , Luke and John describe Jesus's life and teachings as preserved in
25760-404: The new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , the Church of Ireland was also united with the Church of England to form the United Church of England and Ireland . At the same time, one archbishop and three bishops from Ireland (selected by rotation) were given seats in the House of Lords at Westminster, joining the two archbishops and twenty-four bishops from the Church of England. In 1833,
25944-408: The next century, Ireland was to be dominated by an Anglican elite composed of members of the Church of Ireland. This elite would come to be known as the Protestant Ascendancy . Ironically, despite attempts by some, the Ascendancy had no real desire to convert the mass of the Catholic population to Protestantism, fearing that it would dilute their own exclusive and highly privileged position, and many of
26128-404: The nine bishops and two archbishops, and the Ordinary may have one or more Archdeacons to support them, along with a Rural Dean for each group of parishes. There is a diocesan synod for each diocese; there may be separate synods for historic dioceses now in unions. These synods comprise the bishop along with clergy and lay representatives from the parishes, and subject to the laws of the church, and
26312-423: The now-Catholic Church, and an Eastern , largely Greek, branch (the Eastern Orthodox Church ). The two sides disagreed on a number of administrative, liturgical and doctrinal issues, most prominently Eastern Orthodox opposition to papal supremacy . The Second Council of Lyon (1274) and the Council of Florence (1439) attempted to reunite the churches, but in both cases, the Eastern Orthodox refused to implement
26496-453: The orders of Romanesque and Gothic architecture and the building of the great European cathedrals. Christian nationalism emerged during this era in which Christians felt the desire to recover lands in which Christianity had historically flourished. From 1095 under the pontificate of Urban II , the First Crusade was launched. These were a series of military campaigns in the Holy Land and elsewhere, initiated in response to pleas from
26680-421: The other dioceses. There is also the metropolitan cathedral church of Ireland, situated in Armagh, St Patrick's Cathedral . This cathedral is the seat of the archbishop and metropolitan, the Most Reverend John McDowell . The church's central offices are in Rathmines , adjacent to the former Church of Ireland College of Education , and the church's library is in Churchtown. Teacher training now occurs within
26864-404: The papacy. This conflict came to a head in the First Vatican Council , and in Germany would lead directly to the Kulturkampf . Christian commitment in Europe dropped as modernity and secularism came into their own, particularly in the Czech Republic and Estonia , while religious commitments in America have been generally high in comparison to Europe. Changes in worldwide Christianity over
27048-416: The parish comprise the general vestry, which meets annually, within 20 days each side of Easter, as the Easter Vestry. There is also a select vestry for the parish, or sometimes for each active church in a parish, comprising the presiding cleric and any curate assistants, along with relevant churchwardens and glebewardens and a number of members elected at the Easter Vestry meeting. The select vestry assists in
27232-442: The parish of their ancestors. Prior to the outbreak of the American War of Independence in 1776, between 100,000 and 250,000 Presbyterians emigrated from Ulster for the colonies in North America. The scale of this migration was such that in 1773, within the space of a fortnight , around 3,500 Ulster emigrants landed at Philadelphia alone. One knock-on effect of this emigration was parts of Ulster only being Catholic because of
27416-402: The peaks in Christian history and Christian civilization , and Constantinople remained the leading city of the Christian world in size, wealth, and culture. There was a renewed interest in classical Greek philosophy , as well as an increase in literary output in vernacular Greek. Byzantine art and literature held a preeminent place in Europe, and the cultural impact of Byzantine art on
27600-402: The penal laws were poorly enforced. Despite the Penal Laws and the domination of an Anglican minority over an overwhelming Catholic majority, open religious violence seems to have been quite rare during most of the 18th century. Not until the Armagh disturbances in the 1780s did sectarian divisions come back to the fore. Many of the Presbyterians who left Scotland for Ireland did so to escape
27784-449: The population of the Republic of Ireland was approximately 3% Protestant. The figure in the same geographical area was over 10% in 1891, indicating a fall of 70% in the relative Protestant population over the past century. The Protestant depopulation in the Republic of Ireland during 1891-1991 was dramatic. Establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 may have further accelerated this phenomenon as many Protestants were wary of living in
27968-405: The power of the monasteries by creating Dioceses headed by bishops, as was common outside Ireland. Under the 1152 Synod of Kells , the Irish church received its own archbishops, rather than being subject to Canterbury. Under the Laudabiliter in 1155, English-born Pope Adrian IV granted Henry II of England the Lordship of Ireland in return for paying tithes to Rome. His claim was based on
28152-423: The priesthood (1991). GAFCON Ireland was launched on 21 April 2018, in Belfast , with 320 attendees from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. International speakers included Archbishops Peter Jensen (retired Archbishop of Sydney ) and Gregory Venables (Primate of the Anglican Church of South America ). The Church of Ireland was represented at GAFCON III , held on 17–22 June 2018 in Jerusalem , by
28336-425: The primacy of the Protestant religion. This made oaths a high-profile issue, since ministers of the national churches of England, Scotland and Ireland were required to swear allegiance to the ruling monarch. When the 1688 Glorious Revolution replaced James with his Protestant daughter and son-in-law, Mary II and William III , a minority felt bound by their previous oath and refused to swear another. This led to
28520-402: The ranks of new settlers and government officials, who formed a small minority of the population. Elizabeth's reign saw the introduction of a Gaelic printing typeface (1571) for the purpose of evangelisation; the establishment of Trinity College, Dublin , to train ministers (1592); and the first translation of the New Testament into Irish (1603). Despite all this, the Reformation ground to
28704-412: The rebellion was the arrival in 1642 of a Scottish army to Ulster, this army was routed by a smaller force of native Irish at the battle of Benburb, fled back to Carrickfergus where it played no further role in the Cromwellian reconquest. The Presbyterian chaplains and office-elders in this army set up the first Presbytery in Ulster, on 10 June 1642 in Carrickfergus , County Antrim . This was the beginning
28888-414: The reformed church in 1558. Despite accusations of 'moral delinquency', he remained Archbishop and Lord Chancellor until 1567, when he was appointed Bishop of Oxford . The absence of Gaelic-speaking ministers led to the adoption of a gradualist policy, similar to that used in Catholic areas of Northern England. 'Occasional conformity' allowed the use of pre-Reformation rites, combined with acceptance of
29072-699: The regime in place there, and as such, held anti-government views and were not trusted. Whilst they were anti-Catholic and helped populate landlords' estates along with other Dissenters, they suffered from political, religious and economic restrictions. Having sided with the Establishment and fighting alongside members of the Church of Ireland during the Williamite War in Ireland , Presbyterians were hoping that their loyalty and efforts would help redress their grievances, and they did find favour with William III. The Irish Parliament and Established Church were opposed to giving them full civil rights, and during Queen Anne's reign, penal laws targeting Dissenters came into force. By
29256-448: The reign of Queen Mary I , in the 1550s. However, in 1560, her half-sister and successor Queen Elizabeth I enacted a religious settlement consisting of an Act of Supremacy and Act of Uniformity in an attempt to impose Protestantism . Elizabeth made herself the supreme governor of the Church of Ireland. With few exceptions the Irish Catholic hierarchy conformed. During Elizabeth's reign, the bulk of Protestants in Ireland were confined to
29440-399: The relative Protestant population over the period 1861 to 1991. Often, the counties which managed to retain the highest proportion of Protestants were the ones which started off with a large proportion. In Northern Ireland , only counties Londonderry, Tyrone and Armagh have experienced a significant loss of the relative Protestant population; in these cases, the change was not as dramatic as in
29624-634: The resurrection of Jesus to be the cornerstone of their faith (see 1 Corinthians 15 ) and the most important event in history. Among Christian beliefs, the death and resurrection of Jesus are two core events on which much of Christian doctrine and theology is based. According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified , died a physical death, was buried within a tomb, and rose from the dead three days later. Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( Irish : Eaglais na hÉireann , pronounced [ˈaɡlˠəʃ n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ] ; Ulster-Scots : Kirk o Airlann , IPA: [kɪrk ə ˈerlən(d)] )
29808-417: The role of tradition, the seven sacraments , and other doctrines and practices. The Reformation in England began in 1534, when King Henry VIII had himself declared head of the Church of England . Beginning in 1536, the monasteries throughout England, Wales and Ireland were dissolved . Thomas Müntzer , Andreas Karlstadt and other theologians perceived both the Catholic Church and the confessions of
29992-616: The same time, Jews —regarded as "foreign Protestants"—settled in Dublin having originally sought refuge in Tenerife . The Plantation of Ulster also finally swung into full motion as a constant stream of English and Scottish families made their way to the north of Ireland. The death of Charles I in 1649 saw puritanism reach its peak as the Church of Ireland became restricted allowing other Protestant denominations to freely expand. Puritans also went about establishing non-conforming Protestant churches such as Baptist, Quaker, Congregational, as well as Presbyterian. As puritanism refused to conform to
30176-402: The state actively opposed itself to the authority of the Catholic Church. The combined factors of the formation of nation states and ultramontanism , especially in Germany and the Netherlands, but also in England to a much lesser extent, often forced Catholic churches, organizations, and believers to choose between the national demands of the state and the authority of the Church, specifically
30360-439: The state-sponsored Church of Ireland as fellow Protestants and for their dedication to preaching, which it highly sought. Throughout the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I , several plantations occurred seeing the arrival of British settlers, the majority of which were Protestant. In 1604, the Scottish Catholic Randal MacDonnell , set about settling his lands in the Route and Glynnes in County Antrim with Protestants from
30544-497: The state. Variables were the relative sizes of the denominations and the religious, political, and ideological orientation of the states. Urs Altermatt of the University of Fribourg , looking specifically at Catholicism in Europe, identifies four models for the European nations. In traditionally Catholic-majority countries such as Belgium, Spain, and Austria, to some extent, religious and national communities are more or less identical. Cultural symbiosis and separation are found in Poland,
30728-446: The target of various penal laws, Dissenters remained vocal advocates of those that targeted Catholics so kept their complaints to a courteous tone. Indeed, penal laws similar to those passed by the Irish Parliament, were imposed against Protestants in France and Silesia , but in these cases it was by a majority against a minority, which was not the situation in Ireland. The Penal Laws did encourage 5,500 Catholics, almost exclusively from
30912-425: The teachings of Methodism , with John Wesley visiting them several times. By the 1820s they became victims of sectarian grief at the hands of Catholic agrarian societies, which further encouraged Palatine emigration from Ireland, resulting in them ceasing to be a separate grouping. Despite this, their distinctive way of life survived long into the 19th century. From 1697 to 1728, various Penal Laws were enacted by
31096-432: The traditional structure dating to pre-Reformation times, a system of geographical parishes organised into dioceses . There were more than 30 of these historically, grouped into four provinces; today, after consolidation over the centuries, there are eleven Church of Ireland dioceses or united dioceses , each headed by a bishop and belonging to one of two surviving provinces. In 2022 the diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry
31280-412: The ultimate seniority of the latter. Although he has relatively little absolute authority, the Archbishop of Armagh is respected as the church's general leader and spokesman, and is elected in a process different from those for all other bishops. Doctrine, canon law, church governance, church policy, and liturgical matters are decided by the church's general synod . The general synod comprises two houses,
31464-489: The victory of the Parliamentarians , the Cromwellian Act for the Settlement of Ireland 1652 saw Catholics found guilty of disloyalty having their estates confiscated and granted to loyal Protestants. Whilst Protestants also guilty of disloyalty were to lose some of their estates, they ended up being given fines, the majority of which were never paid. The result of this land settlement saw a mass changing of land ownership as Catholic ownership almost disappeared completely east of
31648-464: The work of the general synod and its committees and the representative body and its committees, oversee the operation of the diocese. Each diocesan synod in turn appoints a diocesan council to which it can delegate powers. Each parish has a presiding member of the clergy, assisted by two churchwardens and often also two glebewardens, one of each type of warden being appointed by the clerical incumbent, and one by popular vote. All qualified adult members of
31832-437: The world, particularly in the Middle East , North Africa , East Asia , and South Asia . Early Jewish Christians referred to themselves as 'The Way' ( Koinē Greek : τῆς ὁδοῦ , romanized: tês hodoû ), probably coming from Isaiah 40:3 , "prepare the way of the Lord". According to Acts 11:26 , the term "Christian" ( Χρῑστῐᾱνός , Khrīstiānós ), meaning "followers of Christ" in reference to Jesus's disciples ,
32016-428: Was controlled by the largely Catholic Confederacy , and in 1644, Giovanni Battista Rinuccini became Papal Nuncio to Ireland. Irish Catholicism had developed greater tolerance for Protestants, while sharing their hostility to elaborate ritual. Rinuccini's insistence on following Roman liturgy, and attempts to re-introduce ceremonies such as foot washing divided the Confederacy, and contributed to its rapid collapse in
32200-412: Was ended with the Edict of Toleration in 311 and the Edict of Milan in 313. At that point, Christianity was still a minority belief, comprising perhaps only 5% of the Roman population. Influenced by his adviser Mardonius , Constantine's nephew Julian unsuccessfully tried to suppress Christianity. On 27 February 380, Theodosius I , Gratian , and Valentinian II established Nicene Christianity as
32384-414: Was first used in the city of Antioch by the non-Jewish inhabitants there. The earliest recorded use of the term "Christianity/Christianism" ( Χρῑστῐᾱνισμός , Khrīstiānismós ) was by Ignatius of Antioch around 100 AD . The name Jesus comes from ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ἰησοῦς Iēsous , likely from Hebrew / Aramaic : יֵשׁוּעַ Yēšūaʿ. Christianity developed during the 1st century AD as
32568-415: Was followed by puritan ministers who held Presbyterian sympathies being dismissed from the church, causing some of the leading ministers to make an abortive attempt to reach America hoping to find more liberty for their beliefs. In 1635, Lord Wentworth proposed a plantation of Connacht , which would have seen all Catholic land confiscated and settled with only English Protestants, with the hope of converting
32752-437: Was followed by the Plantation of Ulster , which saw Protestant British settlers colonise these counties. In 1610, The Honourable The Irish Society was established to undertake and finance the plantation of the new county of Londonderry (made up of County Coleraine and parts of Antrim, Donegal, and Tyrone) with British Protestant subjects. Whilst a substantial number of English and Scottish people did come over and settle during
32936-399: Was largely a response to the dispossession of Irish Catholics during the plantation, and resulted in the deaths of thousands of Protestant settlers. Modern historians have revised the figures to state that around 4,000 settlers were killed with another 8,000 dying from disease and exposure. It is claimed that between a third to half of these deaths were Presbyterians. A direct consequence of
33120-494: Was merged with Limerick and Killaloe when both of the bishops of the separate dioceses retired and a new bishop was appointed for the combined diocese of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe . The leader of the southern province is the Archbishop of Dublin , at present Michael Jackson ; that of the northern province is the Archbishop of Armagh , at present Francis John McDowell . These two archbishops are styled Primate of Ireland and Primate of All Ireland respectively, suggesting
33304-400: Was not new—Augustine of Hippo said that Jews should not be allowed to enjoy the citizenship that Christians took for granted—but the growing antipathy towards Jews was a factor that led to the expulsion of Jews from England in 1290 , the first of many such expulsions in Europe. Beginning around 1184, following the crusade against Cathar heresy, various institutions, broadly referred to as
33488-438: Was provided to clergy, but many parishes faced great difficulty in local financing after the loss of rent-generating lands and buildings. The Church of Ireland made provision in 1870 for its own government, led by a General Synod, and with financial management by a Representative Church Body. With disestablishment, the last remnants of tithes were abolished and the Church's representation in the House of Lords also ceased. In 1991,
33672-462: Was restored by his sister Mary I in 1553. When Elizabeth I of England became queen in 1558, only five bishops accepted her Religious Settlement , and most of the Irish clergy had to be deposed. This was hampered by the church's relative poverty, while adapting to the changes of regime damaged the reputation of those who remained. Hugh Curwen was Dean of Hereford until 1555, when Mary made him Catholic Archbishop of Dublin , before returning to
33856-399: Was the first of a series of ecumenical councils , which formally defined critical elements of the theology of the Church, notably concerning Christology . The Church of the East did not accept the third and following ecumenical councils and is still separate today by its successors ( Assyrian Church of the East ). In terms of prosperity and cultural life, the Byzantine Empire was one of
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