Enlightenment and Religion: Rational Dissent in Eighteenth-Century Britain

Description

This book makes a comprehensive reassessment of the relationship between Enlightenment and religion in England. The debate about an 'English' Enlightenment has centred on the role of religion, especially the relationship between the established Anglican Church and the dissenting confessions. It has long been accepted that liberal, rational dissenters developed an Enlightenment agenda, but most literature on this topic is quite out of date. These interdisciplinary essays provide a fresh analysis of rational dissent within English Enlightenment culture. Equally, they contribute to the debate over eighteenth-century religion and its social, political and intellectual meaning, focusing on the Irish and Scottish contributions to English dissent. Its wide perspective and research make Enlightenment and Religion an important and original contribution to eighteenth-century studies.

"A solid, scholarly collection, recommended for graduate and specialist libraries." D.G. Paz, Religious Studies Review "...the essays in this volume represent important revisions and penetrating new insights, and should be studied carefully by any and all who would understand religion and politics in late eighteenth-century Britain." Jeff Chamberlain, Anglican Theological Review "This volume attests to the continuing vitality and fruitfulness of this line of historical inquiry, making an important contribution to the debate over the politics and culture of those Britons refusing to conform to the established church. ...Enlightenment and Religion powerfully enriches our understanding of its subject. Anyone interested in the variables of British religious experience or in eighteenth-century political culture will profit handsomely from reading this book." Philip Hicks, Journal of Modern History