Anti-Catholicism in Northern Ireland, 1600–1998 : The Mote and the Beam

This Book Provides An Authoritative And Topical Assessment Of Four Centuries Of Religious Strife In Northern Ireland And Presents Proposals For Better Intercommunity Relations In The Future. Anti-catholicism Forms Part Of The Dynamics To Northern Ireland's Conflict And Is Critical To The Self-defining Identity Of Certain Protestants. However, Anti-catholicism Is As Much A Sociology Process As A Theological Dispute. It Was Given A Scriptural Underpinning In The History Of Protestant-catholic Relations In Ireland, And Wider British-irish Relations, In Order To Reinforce Social Divisions Between The Religious Communities And To Offer A Deterministic Belief System To Justify Them. The Book Examines The Socio-economic And Political Processes That Have Led To Theology Being Used In Social Closure And Stratification Between The Seventeenth Century And The Present Day. -- Publisher Description Pt. I. Anti-catholicism As A Sociological Process In Irish History. 1. Plantation To The United Irishmen: 1600-1799. 2. Union To Partition: 1800-1920. 3. Northern Ireland: 1921-1998 -- Pt. Ii. Sociological Features Of Contemporary Anti-catholicism. 4. The Modes Of Contemporary Anti-catholicism. 5. Common-sense Reasoning And Theological Misunderstandings -- Postscript: A Better Way. John D. Brewer ; With Gareth I. Higgins. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 239-245) And Index. Anti-Catholicism forms part of the dynamics to Northern Ireland's conflict and is critical to the self-defining identity of certain Protestants. However, anti-Catholicism is as much a sociological process as a theological dispute. It was given a Scriptural underpinning in the history of Protestant-Catholic relations in Ireland, and wider British-Irish relations, in order to reinforce social divisions between the religious communities and to offer a deterministic belief system to justify them. This book examines the socio-economic and political processes that have led to theology being used in social closure and stratification between the seventeenth century and the present day. Anti-Catholicism forms part of the dynamics of Northern Ireland's conflict and is critical to the self-defining identity of certain Protestants. However, anti-Catholicism is as much a sociology process as a theological dispute. It was given a Scriptural underpinning in the history of Protestant Catholic relations in Ireland, and wider British Irish relations, in order to reinforce social divisions between the religious communities and to offer a deterministic belief system to justify them. The book examines the socio-economic and political processes that have led to theology being used in social closure and stratification between the 17th century and the present day Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction....Pages 1-10 Front Matter....Pages 11-14 Plantation to the United Irishmen: 1600–1799....Pages 15-49 Union to Partition: 1800–1920....Pages 50-86 Northern Ireland: 1921–1998....Pages 87-127 Front Matter....Pages 129-134 The Modes of Contemporary Anti-Catholicism....Pages 135-174 Common-sense Reasoning and Theological Misunderstandings....Pages 175-207 Conclusion....Pages 208-223 Postscript: A Better Way....Pages 224-231 Back Matter....Pages 232-248 Anti-Catholicism forms part of the dynamics of Northern Ireland's conflict and is critical to the self-defining identity of certain Protestants. This text examines the socio-economic and political processes that have led to theology being used in social closure and stratification. -- Publisher's description